Groundbreaking ideas often begin in university labs, but turning them into treatments that reach patients can take years—and serious funding.
That gap is exactly what the University of Pennsylvania, BioNTech, and Osage University Partners are aiming to close with the launch of a new $50 million venture capital initiative designed to move bold scientific discoveries out of the lab and into the clinic.
Inside the $50 Million Penn-BioNTech Seed Fund
The newly unveiled Penn-BioNTech Innovative Therapeutics Seed Fund, known as the PxB Fund, is a dedicated investment vehicle focused on early-stage life science companies founded on research coming out of Penn.
The fund is specifically set up to back startups working on cutting-edge therapeutics, diagnostics, and research tools, including AI-powered drug discovery platforms that tackle serious and complex medical conditions.
Helping Penn Research Reach Patients Faster
At its core, the PxB Fund is about speed and support.
By providing early-stage capital, the fund gives Penn investigators the financial runway they need to turn promising science into viable companies.
This early backing is meant to shorten the path from discovery to patient impact, helping high-potential ideas move forward at a pace that traditional academic funding often can’t match.
Osage University Partners Takes the Lead
The fund will be managed by Osage University Partners (OUP), a Philadelphia-based venture capital firm with more than $800 million under management.
OUP brings deep experience to the table, having invested in over 150 startups built on university research, including more than 10 companies that originated at Penn.
The PxB Fund will be led by OUP Managing Partner Marc Singer.
A New General Partner With Deep Biotech Roots
As part of the launch, Anna Turetsky, PhD, has been named General Partner of the PxB Fund.
A Penn alumna and seasoned biotech investor, Dr. Turetsky has spent more than a decade supporting early-stage therapeutics companies.
After completing her PhD in Biophysics at Harvard University, she began her venture career at Lightstone Ventures, where she helped build multiple life science startups.
She later went on to create and lead the venture arm of the Mark Foundation, an oncology-focused nonprofit.
During that time, her investment work included collaborations with Penn, notably on Interius BioTherapeutics, further strengthening her ties to the university’s research ecosystem.
Why BioNTech Is Doubling Down on Penn
For BioNTech, the PxB Fund represents more than just an investment—it’s a strategic move to deepen its long-standing collaboration with Penn.
Through the fund, BioNTech gains earlier insight into emerging therapeutic ideas across a wide range of technologies and scientific approaches being developed at the university.
This closer connection could open doors to future partnerships and accelerate innovation on both sides.
What Comes Next for the PxB Fund
With the fund now launched and leadership in place, attention will turn to identifying and backing the first wave of Penn-founded startups.
As investments begin to roll out, the PxB Fund is expected to play a key role in shaping the next generation of therapies and tools emerging from Penn’s research labs—bringing promising science one step closer to the patients who need it most.
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