Metri Bio, a biotechnology start-up based in Boston, has secured $5 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round to accelerate the development of new treatments for endometrial diseases, including endometriosis. The round was led by Pillar VC, with additional investment from Pace Ventures, Slocum Management, Navec Investments and several angel backers. The company publicly emerged from stealth alongside the funding announcement.
Metri Bio was co-founded by Berna Sozen, PhD, an Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine, alongside Ashley Abel, PhD, who serves as Chief Executive Officer, and Kathy Potts, PhD, who holds the role of Chief Operating Officer. The firm is focused on addressing longstanding gaps in women’s health, particularly in conditions where current treatment options have remained limited for decades.
“Metri Bio is grounded in the belief that meaningful innovation in women’s health demands a deep understanding of the biology driving disease,” said CEO Ashley Abel, PhD. “Endometriosis affects one in ten women, yet treatments still rely on hormone suppression and repeat surgeries that rarely deliver lasting relief and often cause intolerable side effects.”
The company’s scientific foundation is built on research developed within the Sozen Lab at Yale. Its core technology uses 3D endometrial modelling to study diseases of the endometrium, providing access to biological mechanisms previously out of reach for researchers. According to Metri Bio, the platform functions as an integrated system that enables the identification of molecular disease drivers and supports the creation of targeted therapeutic candidates. While endometriosis is the immediate priority, the company states the platform’s capabilities extend to additional endometrial conditions.
“It is absurd that a disease paradigm of this magnitude has no good treatment options,” said Thomas de Vlaam, Partner at Pillar VC and chairman of Metri Bio. “I’m confident that Metri Bio will play a pivotal role in helping the nearly 200 million women suffering from endometriosis receive the care they deserve.”
Sozen is regarded internationally for her contributions to human organoid and developmental modelling technologies, with her work recognised as Nature Method’s 2023 Method of the Year. Potts brings experience in translational research and programme development across women’s health and haematology.
The newly secured funding will support further development of Metri Bio’s discovery platform and therapeutic pipeline for endometriosis. The company plans to expand its team and scale its research and development capabilities as it progresses towards preclinical studies and eventual clinical trials.
