Abingworth
Abingworth is a transatlantic life-sciences investment firm founded in 1973 and one of the longest-established dedicated biotechnology and medical-technology investors in Europe. Headquartered in London with offices in New York and San Francisco, it backs seed- to development-stage biopharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical-technology companies across the United States, Europe and Asia. Over its history the firm has invested in more than 185 life-science companies, generating over 75 public listings and more than 50 trade-sale exits. Abingworth invests through early- and late-stage venture capital, venture investments in public equities, and a Clinical Co-Development strategy that funds late-stage drug trials in exchange for milestone-based returns. The Carlyle Group agreed to acquire Abingworth in April 2022 and completed the transaction in August 2022 for approximately USD 190 million; Abingworth continues to operate under its own brand, investment team and named funds as Carlyle's life-sciences venture platform and manages approximately USD 2 billion. It is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 453934.
Abingworth is a London venture capital firm with €1.8B AUM, 26 active companies and 14 exits.
- ·10 exits in the last 5 years · consistent DPI cadence.
- ·Average hold across 10 realized deals: 4 years.
- ·Top sector focus: Biotech (85% of portfolio).
- ·Fund cadence: ~2Y between vintages · last raise 2023.
Sector breakdown
40 companiesGeography breakdown
4 geographiesKey facts
Recent exits
Abingworth sold Myricx Bio to Novartis in 2026 after 2 years.
Abingworth sold Soleno Therapeutics to Neurocrine Biosciences in 2026 after 8 years.
Abingworth sold HilleVax to XOMA Royalty in 2025 after 4 years.
Abingworth sold Scorpion Therapeutics to Eli Lilly in 2025 after 5 years.
Coverage notes
6 funds tracked, 40 portfolio companies (26 active · 14 realized). Verified weekly from public filings and deal announcements.
Funds & portfolio
Every fund Abingworth has raised, with its portfolio companies. Hand-checked from public filings.
Abingworth Bioventures IXActiveVC2023€332M3 assetsVC2023 · 3yr€332M3–
Unrealized
3 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| Addition Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2025 |
| cAMPfield Biotech · US | 2026 |
| R1 Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2026 |
Abingworth Clinical Co-Development Co-Investment FundLife Sciences VC2023€327M0 assetsLife Sciences VC2023 · 3yr€327M0–
No portfolio companies tracked yet.
Abingworth Bioventures 8Life Sciences VC2021€428M12 assets4 exitsLife Sciences VC2021 · 5yr€428M124
Unrealized
12 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| AdvanCell Biotech · Australia | 2025 |
| Antares Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2025 |
| Ascend Gene & Cell Therapies Biotech · UK | 2023 |
| Cytospire Therapeutics Biotech · UK | 2026 |
| Entact Bio Biotech · US | 2022 |
| Glycomine Biotech · US | 2021 |
| Iambic Therapeutics AI/ML · US | 2023 |
| Nido Biosciences Biotech · US | 2023 |
| Pathalys Pharma Biotech · US | 2023 |
| Solve Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2025 |
| Timberlyne Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2025 |
| Wugen Biotech · US | 2021 |
Realized
4 exits| Company | Entry | Exit | Type | Buyer | MOIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HilleVax Healthcare · US | 2021 | 2025 | Trade Sale | XOMA Royalty | – |
| Myricx Bio Biotech · UK | 2024 | 2026 | Trade Sale | Novartis | – |
| OnKure Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2023 | 2024 | IPO | Reneo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | – |
| Vera Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2021 | 2021 | IPO | – | – |
Abingworth Clinical Co-Development Fund 2Life Sciences VC2021€535M2 assetsLife Sciences VC2021 · 5yr€535M2–
Unrealized
2 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| Launch Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2022 |
| Opthea Biotech · Australia | 2022 |
Abingworth Bioventures VIILife Sciences VC2018€290M5 assets5 exitsLife Sciences VC2018 · 8yr€290M55
Unrealized
5 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| Adicet Bio Biotech · US | 2021 |
| Atsena Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2020 |
| Orbus Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2020 |
| Soteria Biotherapeutics Biotech · US | 2021 |
| Trishula Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2020 |
Realized
5 exits| Company | Entry | Exit | Type | Buyer | MOIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2019 | 2021 | IPO | Amplitude Healthcare Acquisition Corp. | – |
| Phathom Pharmaceuticals Healthcare · US | 2019 | 2019 | IPO | – | – |
| Q32 Bio Biotech · US | 2020 | 2024 | IPO | Homology Medicines, Inc. | – |
| Scorpion Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2020 | 2025 | Trade Sale | Eli Lilly | – |
| Spruce Biosciences Biotech · US | 2020 | 2020 | IPO | – | – |
Abingworth Bioventures VILife Sciences VC2014€345M4 assets5 exitsLife Sciences VC2014 · 12yr€345M45
Unrealized
4 held| Company | Entry |
|---|---|
| Exicure Biotech · US | 2019 |
| Median Technologies MedTech · France | 2015 |
| Tizona Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2016 |
| Venatorx Pharmaceuticals Healthcare · US | 2022 |
Realized
5 exits| Company | Entry | Exit | Type | Buyer | MOIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avedro MedTech · US | 2014 | 2019 | Trade Sale | Glaukos | – |
| eFFECTOR Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2013 | 2021 | IPO | Locust Walk Acquisition Corp. | – |
| GenSight Biologics Biotech · France | 2014 | 2016 | IPO | – | – |
| Soleno Therapeutics Biotech · US | 2018 | 2026 | Trade Sale | Neurocrine Biosciences | – |
| Verona Pharma Biotech · UK | – | 2025 | Trade Sale | Merck & Co. | – |
About Abingworth
Abingworth is a transatlantic life sciences venture capital specialist with more than $2 billion of assets under management as of December 2024 (raised nearly $1 billion across 2021-2024 for life sciences plus a separately advised $1.5 billion Carlyle-backed clinical trials fund), headquartered in London with offices in New York and San Francisco. The firm was founded in 1973 with a 50 plus year life sciences specialist track record covering 185 plus companies, 50 plus M&A transactions and 75 plus IPOs. Abingworth was acquired by The Carlyle Group in August 2022 and operates as an independent unit and LLP affiliate.
Investment thesis
Abingworth deploys capital through 12 plus Abingworth Bioventures funds (ABV VII, ABV 8, plus the Carlyle-Abingworth clinical trials vehicle), targeting transatlantic life sciences venture capital from seed to development stages. The platform combines traditional VC investing with innovative structures including Venture Investments in Public Equities (VIPEs), Clinical Co-Development and royalty-based late-stage clinical trial financing. Sector focus spans biopharma, biotech therapeutics and gene and cell therapy, with geographic deployment across US and UK core plus broader European and Asia-Pacific coverage. The Carlyle balance sheet integration enables clinical co-development and royalty financing structures unavailable to traditional VC platforms.
Recent activity
Recent realised exits include biopharma and respiratory therapeutics (Verona Pharma, 2025) and biotech immunology (Escient Pharmaceuticals, 2024). Recent investments include Solve Therapeutics Series C (November 2025), Addition Therapeutics (gene and cell therapy, 2025) and Iambic Therapeutics follow-on (2025), with 9 investments completed in 2025. The platform continues active deployment across the transatlantic life sciences franchise.
Frequently asked questions
- What investment strategy does Abingworth focus on?
- Abingworth focuses on VC, Growth strategies in the private equity space.
- How many portfolio companies does Abingworth have?
- Abingworth has 26 active portfolio companies and 14 completed exits and 6 funds tracked on GP Intel.
- Where is Abingworth headquartered?
- Abingworth is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
- What is Abingworth's assets under management?
- Abingworth manages approximately €1.8B in assets under management.
- When was Abingworth founded?
- Abingworth was founded in 1973.
- What sectors does Abingworth invest in?
- Abingworth invests across Healthcare.
- What are Abingworth's recent exits?
- Recent realized exits by Abingworth include: Myricx Bio (2026) to Novartis; Soleno Therapeutics (2026) to Neurocrine Biosciences; HilleVax (2025) to XOMA Royalty; Scorpion Therapeutics (2025) to Eli Lilly; Verona Pharma (2025) to Merck & Co.; OnKure Therapeutics (2024) to Reneo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Q32 Bio (2024) to Homology Medicines, Inc.; Jasper Therapeutics (2021) to Amplitude Healthcare Acquisition Corp..
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