Mendra closed an $82 million Series A to acquire, develop and commercialize treatments for rare diseases, the company said. The financing was co‑led by OrbiMed, 8VC and 5AM Ventures, with participation from Lux Capital and Wing VC. Mendra’s strategy centers on buying underdeveloped assets from academics or larger firms and using AI to accelerate asset selection, patient identification and global commercialization. The firm’s leadership includes executives with BioMarin experience, signaling an ambition to move acquired assets rapidly into later‑stage development and market access planning.