Syndeio Biosciences Emerges from Stealth with $90M Series A to Advance Synapse-Targeted Therapies for CNS Disorders

On May 27, Indianapolis — Syndeio Biosciences announced the launch of precision neurotherapeutics focused on repairing and enhancing synaptic function in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The company’s clinical-stage pipeline and proprietary R&D platform are built on cutting-edge discoveries in synaptic biology and translational biomarkers, with the mission to transform the treatment of patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD), Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and other synaptopathies.

Syndeio Biosciences' $90 million Series A financing includes investors such as Catalio Capital Management, Innoviva, Tenmile Ventures, Luson Bioventures, and Palo Santo, with AbbVie and Eli Lilly as strategic shareholders. The funds will support a world-class team of entrepreneurs, clinicians, and scientists with extensive experience in neuro drug development, including:

Derek Small, Co-Founder and CEO: Founder of Luson Bioventures; Founding CEO of Monument Biosciences, Naurex (acquired by Allergan), Assembly Biosciences (Nasdaq:ASMB), and other biotechnology companies.

Michael G. McCully, President and Chief Operating Officer: Founding President and CEO of Gate Neurosciences; Former CEO of Anagin

Dr. John Donello, Chief Scientific Officer: Vice President of External Innovation at Allergan (acquired by AbbVie); Co-founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer of Boost Neuroscience

Thomas C. Südhof, M.D., Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board: Nobel Laureate; Avram Goldstein Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine;

Anantha Shekhar, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Advisor: Founding Advisor of Karuna Therapeutics; Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Steve Brannan, M.D., Chief Medical Advisor: Former Chief Medical Officer of Karuna Therapeutics; Former Vice President of Clinical Development at Takeda Pharmaceuticals; Former Senior Medical Director at Novartis; Former Clinical Research Professional at Eli Lilly and Company

Robert Berman, M.D., Senior Clinical Advisor: Founding Chief Medical Officer of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals; Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine

Dr. Joseph R. Moskal, Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board: Founder and former CSO of Naurex; Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University; Director of the Falk Center for Molecular Therapeutics

Derek Small, Co-founder and CEO of Syndeio Biosciences, said:"Synaptic Pathologies – Diseases Stemming from Synaptic Dysfunction – Include Major Depressive Disorder, Alzheimer’s Disease, Schizophrenia, and More, Impacting Over a Billion People Worldwide and Representing an Urgent Public Health Crisis. Targeting Synapses Offers a Powerful yet Underexplored Pharmacological Approach to Treating These Conditions. Our Scientific Founders Have Uncovered the Critical Nuances in Translating Synaptic Plasticity Biology into Effective Therapies. With These Proprietary Insights, Syndeio Biosciences Is Building a Robust Pipeline of Clinical and Discovery-Stage Programs Aimed at Optimizing Synaptic Function. We Are Pioneering a New Generation of Neurotherapeutics, Which We Believe Have the Potential to Transform Outcomes for Patients with Neuropsychiatric and Cognitive Disorders."

Syndeio's lead candidate drug zelquistinel is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study for MDD, which is enrolling at nearly 30 sites across the United States (NCT06547489). It will soon enter the first synaptic function biomarker trial in Alzheimer’s disease. Zelquistinel employs a potential best-in-class novel mechanism that can rapidly and durably enhance synaptic strength and plasticity, demonstrating promising clinical activity and mechanistic biomarker effects in previous trials. The company is also collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh in an investigator-led Phase 2a clinical study.Advancedapimostinel，This is an experimental therapy for the acute treatment of MDD (NCT06400121).

Syndeio's clinical programs are supported by its proprietary Boost™ Synapse pharmacology platform, which integrates molecular, functional, and behavioral models to predict therapeutic outcomes and dosing strategies for synaptogenic agents. The platform is rooted in the groundbreaking work of its scientific founders from Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boost Neuroscience, including Nobel laureate Dr. Thomas C. Südhof, Dr. Joseph R. Moskal, Dr. Jeffrey Burgdorf, and Syndeio's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. John Donello.

Jacob Vogelstein, Ph.D., Managing Partner of Catalio Capital Management and Board Member of Syndeio Biosciences, stated:"The strengths of Syndeio's scientific platform and clinical pipeline have the potential to reshape the landscape of synapse-targeting drug development. This is a world-class team with unparalleled expertise in translating synaptic biology into impactful therapies."

Thomas C. Südhof, M.D., Co-Chair of the Syndeio Scientific Advisory Board, said:"Neurology and psychiatry are converging in their understanding of synaptic function, one of the most crucial drivers of brain health. Nevertheless, the lack of high-quality preclinical models has long hindered the development of neurological drugs. The preclinical models of the Syndeio Boost™ platform provide translatable data that predict clinical outcomes for a variety of compounds, enhancing our confidence in the potential therapeutic benefits of each of Syndeio's current and future projects."

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