Nura raises $74M to support ALS trial, new nerve-protecting therapy

Nura Bio has raised $73.8 million to support two experimental therapies designed to protect nerve cells from damage, including one that is already being tested in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Proceeds from the Series B financing round, usually the second major funding round for startup companies, will provide a multi-year cash runway to help advance an ongoing Phase 1b/2a trial (NCT07369076) evaluating NB-4746 in ALS patients and a newly launched first-in-human Phase 1a study of its next-generation candidate, NB-9402.

Both therapies are designed to block SARM1, a protein that drives the degeneration of axons — nerve fibers that transmit signals throughout the body and can be progressively lost in ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.

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“With NB-4746 actively enrolling ALS patients in a Phase 1b/2a study and the rapid advancement of NB-9402, our next generation … SARM1 inhibitor, into a Phase 1a study, we have built a portfolio of SARM1 inhibitors uniquely positioned to fully explore and validate the broad therapeutic potential of this target,” Shilpa Sambashivan, PhD, Nura Bio’s CEO, said in a company press release.

ALS is marked by the progressive loss of motor neurons, the nerve cells that control muscle movement. Axons, the long fibers that extend from nerve cells, can begin to degenerate early in the disease process.

Scientists have shown that, when axons are injured or under stress, SARM1 becomes activated and triggers a self-destruction program that causes axons to degenerate. Because nerve fiber damage occurs early in ALS and other neurological diseases, researchers believe blocking SARM1 may help protect axons and preserve nerve function.

Both of Nura’s clinical candidates are designed to inhibit SARM1, but they do so through different mechanisms. NB-4746 is a reversible orthosteric inhibitor, meaning it is designed to block SARM1’s active site. NB-9402, by contrast, is a covalent, irreversible allosteric inhibitor, meaning it is designed to bind to a different site on SARM1.

Nura believes NB-9402 has the potential to achieve more complete and sustained inhibition of SARM1 than reversible approaches, which could lead to longer-lasting effects.

NB-4746 is the more advanced of the two candidates. In multiple preclinical models of nerve injury and disease, the therapy has been shown to protect nerve cells from damage.

ALS trial is enrolling in Canada, Australia

In a Phase 1 trial involving healthy volunteers, the oral therapy also demonstrated a favorable safety profile and achieved target concentrations in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, that are expected to support SARM1 inhibition.

The ongoing Phase 1b/2a study is evaluating the safety, pharmacological effects, and preliminary efficacy of NB-4746 in ALS patients. The trial is expected to enroll about 80 participants across sites in Canada and Australia.

In the first part, researchers will test a low and high dose of the medication against a placebo for one month. The selected dose will then be assessed in the trial’s second part for about three months. After completing parts A or B, participants will have the option to join an open-label extension and receive NB-4746 for up to one year.

“Nura Bio has been at the forefront of developing neuroprotective therapies targeting SARM1, a protein with a well-defined role in axon degeneration,” said Jeremy Shefner, MD, PhD, neurologist and professor at Barrow Neurological Institute. “The advancement of this program represents an important step toward elucidating the potential therapeutic benefit of SARM1 inhibition for ALS patients.”

The financing effort was led by The Column Group, with participation from all existing investors, including Euclidean Capital, Samsara Biocapital, and Sanofi Ventures.