BlackThorn Therapeutics Secures $40 Million Series A Funding to Advance Targeted Therapies for Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Recently, BlackThorn Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on targeted therapies for neurobehavioral disorders, secured $40 million in Series A financing. The investment was led by the renowned Chicago-based venture capital firm ARCH Venture Partners, with participation from other investment funds including Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC and Altitude Life Science Ventures.

ARCH Venture Partners focuses on commercial services, medical devices and supplies, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Blackthorn Therapeutics and the biotech company Juno Therapeutics were two of its key investment targets in 2014.

Headquartered in California, BlackThorn was established through a collaboration between top-tier research institutions and world-class scientific advisors, with the aim of becoming a global leader in neuropsychiatric medicine. The company primarily focuses on neuropsychiatric disorders—such as autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. While the pathophysiology of each condition remains poorly understood, advances in neuroscience are providing researchers with opportunities to elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms, thereby enabling the identification of patient subgroups that can be specifically targeted.

Drawing on the latest advances in neuroscience, BlackThorn is committed to building a pipeline of investigational new drugs with precise therapeutic effects. By conducting more accurate and cost-effective clinical trials through small-scale studies, we directly generate novel targeted treatment regimens that modulate the brain physiology underlying behavioral health. This approach aims to improve patient cure rates while controlling costs.

BlackThorn’s founding scientific team includes Dr. Edward Roberts and Dr. Hugh Rosen of the Scripps Research Institute, who previously co-founded Receptos (recently acquired by Celgene for $7.8 billion). The company is currently led by Dr. Mark Corrigan, who formerly served as CEO of Zalicus and Executive Vice President of R&D at Sepracor. Other members of the management team include Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Bill Martin, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Annette Madrid, and Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development Dr. Scott Forrest, all of whom bring extensive experience in managing biopharmaceutical companies.

The company's management team largely comprises individuals with extensive experience in biotechnology firms.

The company’s goal is to develop novel and precise drugs or solutions for neurobehavioral disorders. Currently, BlackThorn’s lead candidate, BTRX-246040, is a first-in-class antagonist of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide receptor (NOPR), which is emerging as a target for various diseases associated with neurobehavioral disorders. This compound is currently entering Phase II clinical trials and is spearheading the development of other small-molecule pipelines under investigation.

The Company’s Pipeline and Clinical Trial Stages

The company’s core innovative INFORM platform has made significant contributions to the development of BTRX-246040 and other product pipelines. By leveraging advanced functional imaging and objective assessment tools to quantify emotional, behavioral, and cognitive functions, INFORM closely links brain physiology with behavior. This platform supports the discovery and development of novel therapeutic targets while reducing reliance on traditional qualitative clinical observations.

Dr. Mark Corrigan, Executive Chairman of BlackThorn, stated, “Scientific research in the field of neurobehavioral disorders has provided innovative approaches for assessing complex brain diseases. By applying scientific rigor and management efficiency, BlackThorn is committed to implementing this novel, modern framework for drug discovery and development. We aim to drive a transformation in treatment paradigms by investing in the validation and standardization of innovative technologies. This will not only advance our own drug development platform and pipeline but also ultimately benefit the growing patient population with imprecise or inadequate treatment options.”