Forge Therapeutics has closed its first large round of financing, securing $15 million from MagnaSci Ventures, Evotec, and other investors. The tiny biotech firm, founded on technology developed in the labs of University of California, San Diego, chemist Seth Cohen, will use the proceeds to push forward its Gram-negative antibiotics program. Forge was the subject of a C&EN story in early 2016 about what it’s like to be a young biotech firm looking for financing and partnerships during the annual JPMorgan Healthcare meeting. At the time, the company had a goal of raising its first round of funding to support development of metalloprotein inhibitors—in particular, compounds that block LpxC, a zinc-containing enzyme found in bacteria. Forge’s goal was to raise the funds by the end of 2016. CEO Zachary Zimmerman attributes the delay to two developments. The first was the creation in July 2016 of the Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria