Nura Bio Secures $68M in Series A, Total Funding Exceeds $140M

Nura Bio Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, CA, has successfully raised over $140 million in Series A financing. This recent financial boost includes an additional $68 million added to the original $73 million Series A round announced in 2020. The funding was led by The Column Group, with ongoing support from investors such as Samsara Bio Capital and Euclidean Capital, and new backing from Sanofi Ventures.

The company has also appointed Shilpa Sambashivan, Ph.D., as its Chief Executive Officer and Director. Dr. Sambashivan, a foundational member of Nura Bio and the Chief Scientific Officer, has been instrumental in driving the company's research and development initiatives. Under her leadership, Nura Bio has transitioned into a clinical-stage organization with its first clinical candidate, NB-4746, completing Phase 1 studies.

Tim Kutzkey, Ph.D., Managing Partner at The Column Group and Nura Bio’s founding chairman, praised Dr. Sambashivan's leadership and scientific expertise. He emphasized the company's significant progress in translating complex biological mechanisms into potential therapeutic solutions. Kutzkey expressed confidence in the company's future growth and clinical advancements under Dr. Sambashivan's guidance.

Nura Bio’s recent financing comes at a crucial time with the successful completion of Phase 1 trials for NB-4746, a brain-penetrant SARM1 inhibitor designed to prevent axon degeneration and provide neuroprotection. The company plans to initiate a Phase 1b/2 trial with a patient population in 2025. Dr. Sambashivan highlighted the company's focus on developing novel neuroprotective therapies by leveraging a deep understanding of disease mechanisms like axon degeneration and neuroinflammation.

The recent Phase 1 study of NB-4746 demonstrated that the drug was well-tolerated in both single ascending and multiple ascending dose studies. The drug achieved targeted plasma exposure levels necessary for efficacy, with no serious treatment-emergent adverse events reported. Additionally, cerebrospinal fluid levels of NB-4746 confirmed its ability to penetrate the brain, supporting its advancement in treating diseases affecting both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

NB-4746 is the leading asset in Nura Bio's small molecule pipeline. It targets SARM1, a key enzyme involved in axon degeneration, which is an early indicator of several neurological diseases. By halting axon degeneration early, NB-4746 has the potential to offer significant structural and functional neuroprotection. Preclinical studies suggest that NB-4746 could provide broad axonal protection and functional improvement across various diseases of the central, peripheral, and ocular nervous systems.

Nura Bio is dedicated to developing neuroprotective therapies for a wide range of neurological diseases. Their research focuses on developing small molecule therapies that either halt axon degeneration or modulate microglial responses to injury, with the ultimate goal of providing neuroprotection across diseases affecting the central, peripheral, and ocular nervous systems.