Lexington’s NodThera Raises $55 Million

Clinical stage biotech NodThera has secured $55 million in a Series B financing. NodThera is developing a new class of medicines that inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome to treat diseases driven by chronic inflammation. Its lead drug candidate, NT-0167, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance NT-0167 through clinical studies, further progress the development of additional compounds — including brain-penetrant NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors for central nervous system indications — and continued drug discovery efforts.

“Millions of people live with diseases in which chronic inflammation plays a role,” said Nanna Lüneborg, Partner, Novo Ventures. “NodThera’s approach to selectively target the NLRP3 inflammasome without broadly suppressing the immune system is an enormously promising strategy for developing therapies that can help these patients.”

The first-in-human clinical study for NT-0167 is evaluating the candidate for safety and tolerability as well as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic response. In preclinical studies, NT-0167 demonstrated potent and selective inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome resulting in reductions of IL-1β and IL-18, pro-inflammatory cytokines which are known to play a key role in chronic inflammation underlying a wide range of diseases.

NodThera was founded by Epidarex Capital and further financed by 5AM Ventures, Cowen Healthcare Investments, F-Prime Capital, Novo Holdings, Sanofi Ventures and Sofinnova Partners. NodThera maintains offices in Cambridge, UK, Seattle, WA and :Lexington, MA. (Source: NodThera Website, 03 June 2020)