Key Highlights
- Newleos Therapeutics secures $93.5 million in Series A funding, led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with participation from Novo Holdings A/S, Longwood Fund, DCVC Bio, and Arkin Bio Capital.
- Clinical-stage pipeline in-licensed from Roche, featuring multiple oral small molecules for anxiety, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairment.
- Lead candidate NTX-1955, a first-in-class GABAA-γ1 selective PAM, aims to treat anxiety disorders with a differentiated mechanism while avoiding side effects of traditional treatments.
- Additional assets target social anxiety (V1a antagonist), substance use disorders (TAAR1 partial agonist), and cognitive impairment (GABAA-α5 NAM).
- Seasoned leadership team with CNS drug development expertise, including David Donabedian, Ph.D., and Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D.
Source: Business Wire
Notable Quotes
- “Anxiety and substance use disorders represent some of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric indications with high unmet need, impacting over 60 million individuals in the U.S.” – David Donabedian, Ph.D., Founding CEO at Newleos
- “A majority of anxiety patients fail to respond to first-line therapies, highlighting the need for truly differentiated medicines.” – Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D., Founding Executive Chairman at Newleos
- “We believe the field of neuropsychiatry is experiencing robust innovation with the potential to dramatically improve patient outcomes.” – Ming Cheah, Ph.D., VP at Goldman Sachs Alternatives
Why This Matters
Mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and substance use disorders, impact millions globally, yet existing treatments often fall short due to side effects and inefficacy. Newleos Therapeutics’ innovative drug pipeline offers first-in-class and best-in-class therapies with novel mechanisms that address gaps in current CNS treatments. With a strong financial backing and a leadership team experienced in CNS drug development, Newleos is well-positioned to advance promising therapeutics that could transform mental health treatment.
