Nura Bio raises funds for neuroprotective therapy development

Nura Bio recently secured $68 million in a Series A financing round aimed at advancing its neuroprotective therapies. This latest influx of capital increases the company's total raised funds to over $140 million, following an initial $73 million in a previous Series A round in 2020. The investment round was led by The Column Group, with continued support from Samsara Bio Capital and Euclidean Capital, and new backing from Sanofi Ventures.

This funding milestone arrives as Nura Bio successfully completes Phase I studies for its lead clinical candidate, NB-4746, in healthy subjects. NB-4746, a brain-penetrant SARM1 inhibitor, has shown promise in preclinical models for preventing axon degeneration and providing neuroprotection in cases of nerve injury and disease.

The Phase I trial data revealed that NB-4746 was well-tolerated in both single ascending and multiple ascending dose studies. It achieved the targeted plasma exposure levels believed necessary for its efficacy without causing serious treatment-emergent adverse events. Additionally, cerebrospinal fluid levels of NB-4746 confirmed its ability to penetrate the brain, enhancing its potential for treating conditions affecting both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

The company is gearing up to start a Phase Ib/II trial with NB-4746 in patients by 2025. Alongside this funding success, Nura Bio has appointed Shilpa Sambashivan as its new CEO and board member. Dr. Sambashivan expressed her dedication to the company’s mission of delivering novel neuroprotective therapies. She highlighted the strong support from investors as a reflection of the significant potential of Nura Bio's research and development pipeline. She expressed pride in the team’s accomplishments and looked forward to leading the company into its next phase. This includes testing the SARM1 hypothesis in a patient population in 2025 with NB-4746, while also continuing to advance other promising preclinical projects.