NP-MP1

10月6日，米兰，总部位于米兰的生物技术公司NanoPhoria Bioscience宣布完成8350万欧元（约9800万美元）的A轮融资。本轮融资由XGEN Venture、Sofinnova Partners和CDP Venture Capital领投，Panakès Partners也进行了投资，另一位未披露的投资者也加入了本轮融资。此次融资是意大利有史以来规模最大的生物技术A轮融资。 这笔资金将推动NanoPhoria的主要候选管线NP-MP1通过IND支持研究和早期临床开发。NP-MP1是一种针对心脏L型钙通道的同类首创多肽，可提高射血分数，用于治疗射血分数降低的心力衰竭（HFrEF）。 NP-MP1通过NanoPhoria专有的肺到心纳米微技术递送，在心力衰竭的临床前模型中表现出优异的疗效，旨在通过改善心脏收缩性来解决HFrEF的根本原因。HFrEF是一种影响全球数百万人的疾病，五年死亡率约为40%。 NP-MP1的活性成分是一种适当的模拟肽（MP），它在细胞内作用机制方面占据了一个新颖而有利的位置，这可能有助于将MP定义为一种疾病修饰药物。MP已被证明在小型和大型动物模型中有效调节心肌细胞中的L型钙通道运输。NP-MP1确实是一种三级可吸入干粉制剂。将活性模拟肽装载到磷酸钙纳米颗粒中，然后将其嵌入肺部相容的甘露醇基微粒中。一旦进入心肌细胞，MP就会与改变的LTCC结合，纠正该通道的亚细胞运输，恢复其生理水平和功能。通过这种方式，患病心脏的功能得以恢复。 NanoPhoria由Daniele Catalucci、Michele Iafisco、Alessio Alogna和Claudio De Luca NanoPhoria于2022年创立，是意大利国家研究委员会（CNR）的子公司。该公司正在开发一种基于无机磷酸钙纳米粒子的多功能、纳米级微型和肺到心脏递送平台。 NanoPhoria首席执行官兼联合创始人Claudio De Luca表示：“此次融资是NanoPhoria的一个转型里程碑。它使我们能够加快NP-MP1的临床开发并扩大我们的产品线。我们的创新递送平台使我们能够靶向心肌细胞中以前无法接近的细胞靶点，从而使我们更接近为患有严重心脏病和其他慢性疾病的患者提供改变生活的治疗，这些患者目前的治疗服务不足。我们非常感谢我们的科学创始人、投资者、董事会和主席Suman Shirodkar，他的愿景和努力塑造了NanoPhoria的进步和抱负。” XGEN Venture管理合伙人Paolo Fundarò表示：“这项投资与XGEN的战略完全一致，即在满足真正医疗需求的最具创新性的意大利初创公司中引领早期融资。NanoPhoria的科学提供了一种新颖可行的方法，可以直接向心脏提供高效的治疗方法，我们期待与这样一个出色的投资者联盟合作。” Sofinnova管理合伙人Henrijette Richter表示：“NanoPhoria的平台有可能重新定义心血管和其他慢性疾病的治疗模式，这就是我们很高兴投资这家公司的原因。这笔融资建立在我的同事Lucia Faccio的早期支持之上，Lucia Facio是Sofinnova Telethon战略的合伙人，她在公司成立初期的支持中发挥了重要作用。这项投资反映了Sofinnova对支持欧洲世界级科学的更广泛承诺，从早期公司创建到后期增长。” 关注下方公众号，带你看世界!

Plus, news about Arvinas, Alnylam, Sihuan Pharmaceutical, Neurizon Therapeutics, Nordicus Partners, and Arcutis: 🫀 NanoPhoria raises $98M Series A: The cash will fund early clinical development of the Milan-based company’s heart failure candidate, known as NP-MP1, as well as regulatory work and its plans to scale up manufacturing. NP-MP1, a peptide that targets cardiac calcium channels to improve the heart’s function, has not yet started human trials. The €83.5 million funding round, which NanoPhoria said is the largest Series A round in Italian biotech history, came from investors including XGEN Venture, Sofinnova Partners, CDP Venture Capital and Panakes Partners. — Elizabeth Cairns 🧬 AstraZeneca inks deal with Algen for up to $555M: The pharma company will get the exclusive rights for candidates against a select number of immunology targets identified using the AlgenBrain platform. AlgenBrain uses AI and next-generation CRISPR gene modulation to discover new genetic targets. The companies did not disclose the split between upfront and milestone payments. — Ayisha Sharma 🧪 Arvinas’ Phase 1 data for Parkinson’s drug: Arvinas’ ARV-102 is a PROTAC designed to degrade LRRK2, a new and increasingly popular target in neurodegeneration. In the healthy volunteer study, Arvinas said repeated doses of ARV-102 led to at least a 50% reduction of LRRK2 in the cerebrospinal fluid. In Parkinson’s patients, single doses of ARV-102 also responded in a dose-dependent manner. Arvinas’ stock $ARVN was up about 10% in premarket trading on Monday. — Max Gelman 💰 Alnylam Pharmaceuticals discloses $500M line of credit: The company revealed the credit line in a securities filing last week. It also upsized an offering last month of convertible senior notes to $575 million from $500 million. Alnylam is focused on marketing Amvuttra now that it’s approved for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. — Jaimy Lee 🇨🇳 Sihuan Pharmaceutical spinout to go public: The spinout, called Xuanzhu Biopharm, is looking to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, following more than 40 other Chinese biotechs that have outlined plans for a listing so far this year. The biotech, which is focusing on digestion, cancer and MASH, seeks to list at $11.60 Hong Kong dollars per share. (That’s about $1.49). Sihuan will own about 49% of Xuanzhu’s issued shares after the proposed offering closes. — Kyle LaHucik 🔬 Neurizon Therapeutics says FDA lifted hold on Parkinson’s drug: The biotech now plans to advance NUZ-001 into a Phase 2/3 that’s part of the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial by the end of the year. The regulator had put the company’s IND on hold in January. — Jaimy Lee 💼 ​​ Nordicus Partners forms new company: The Nordic biopharma accelerator said the new company, which is called NoviThera, will focus on developing a monoclonal antibody to treat psoriasis. Alteral Therapeutics invented the antibody. — Jaimy Lee 🏛 FDA approves Zoryve for young children: Arcutis Biotherapeutics on Monday announced the approval of Zoryve cream for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. It’s the sixth approval for the treatment. — Jaimy Lee