BlackThorn Therapeutics is a company.
BlackThorn Therapeutics has raised $130.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at BlackThorn Therapeutics.
BlackThorn Therapeutics has raised $130.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at BlackThorn Therapeutics.
BlackThorn Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2015, focused on developing precision medicines for central nervous system (CNS) disorders like schizophrenia and major depressive disorder using computational neuroscience and AI-driven platforms.[1][2][3] It built the PathFinder platform—a cloud-based tool for integrating multimodal data to identify novel targets, small-molecule drugs, and responsive patient subgroups—targeting dysfunctional brain circuits to overcome traditional drug discovery challenges in neurobehavioral health.[1][2] The company raised $130M total, including a $76M Series B round about five years ago, before being acquired, serving patients with brain disorders underserved by conventional therapies.[2][4]
BlackThorn Therapeutics was founded in 2015 in San Francisco by Alex Tkachenko (CEO) and Bill Martin (initially CSO, later CEO), who aimed to apply machine learning to neuropsychiatric drug discovery.[2][3] The idea emerged from advances in computational and clinical neuroscience, addressing gaps in understanding brain-behavior relationships for better-targeted CNS treatments.[1][3] Early traction included launching PathFinder and advancing preclinical candidates like an NMDA receptor modulator for schizophrenia, with additional programs in depression (some discontinued or pending).[1][2]
BlackThorn rode the convergence of AI, computational neuroscience, and precision medicine trends in biotech, timing its 2015 launch with rising data analytics capabilities to tackle CNS disorders—historically high-failure areas due to brain complexity.[1][2][3] Market forces like unmet needs in schizophrenia and depression (affecting millions) favored its platform, amid a boom in AI-biotech tools from peers like Alto Neuroscience and Neumora Therapeutics.[2] It influenced the ecosystem by pioneering data-driven patient stratification, accelerating targeted therapies and validating AI's role in de-risking neuropsychiatric R&D.[1][2]
Post-acquisition, BlackThorn's assets and PathFinder tech likely integrate into a larger entity's pipeline, amplifying impact on CNS precision medicine amid ongoing AI-biotech momentum.[2][4] Trends like multimodal data AI and brain circuit mapping will shape its legacy, potentially evolving into broader neuroscience platforms influencing diagnostics and therapies. This positions its approach as a foundational playbook for next-gen neuro drug developers, tying back to its mission of transforming brain disorder treatments through computation.[1][3]
BlackThorn Therapeutics has raised $130.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
BlackThorn Therapeutics's investors include ARCH Venture Partners, Biomatics Capital Partners, Ignition Partners, Polaris Partners, Vertex Ventures.
BlackThorn Therapeutics has raised $130.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $76.0M Series B in June 2019.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2019 | $76.0M Series B | ARCH Venture Partners, Biomatics Capital Partners, Ignition Partners, Polaris Partners, Vertex Ventures | |
| Jan 1, 2017 | $14.0M Series A | ARCH Venture Partners, Biomatics Capital Partners, Polaris Partners, Vertex Ventures | |
| Oct 1, 2016 | $40.0M Series A | ARCH Venture Partners |
