Nobel Laureate-Led Atalanta Therapeutics Raises $97 Million to Advance CNS-Targeted RNAi Therapies

Jan 31, 2025 23:25 CST Updated 23:25

Atalanta Therapeutics

Biological New Drug Developer

On January 28, biotechnology company Atalanta Therapeutics, which is dedicated to developing RNAi therapies for neurological disorders, announced the completion of a $97 million Series B financing round. The round was co-led by EQT Life Sciences and Sanofi Ventures, with participation from new and existing investors including Novartis Venture Fund and F-Prime Capital. The proceeds will support Phase I clinical trials of the company’s investigational RNAi therapies for KCNT1-related epilepsy and Huntington's disease.

Atalanta Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Boston. Dr. Craig Mello, a pioneer in RNAi technology and Nobel laureate, is one of the company's co-founders. The Series B financing round has brought Atalanta’s total capital raised to date from funding and partnerships to $262 million.

Technically, Atalanta's unique bivalent small interfering RNA (di-siRNA) platform enables durable, selective gene silencing throughout the brain and spinal cord.

Pipeline level,ATL-201Atalanta Therapeutics is developing treatments for KCNT1-related epilepsy.(A type of early-onset epilepsy and encephalopathy driven by gain-of-function mutations in the KCNT1 gene)RNAi therapy. Infants and children with KCNT1-related epilepsy experience severe, frequent seizures that cannot be controlled by antiepileptic drugs, and they often suffer from developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. ATL-201 is designed to reduce KCNT1 levels and normalize neuronal excitability. Preclinical studies have shown that ATL-201 can significantly reduce seizures, improve behavior, and exhibits impressive durability and tolerability.

ATL-101It is a di-siRNA designed to silence the HTT gene for the treatment of Huntington's disease. Huntington's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the amplification of the HTT gene, leading to the deterioration of a person’s physical, cognitive, and psychiatric abilities. Preclinical studies have shown that a single dose of ATL-101 effectively reduces HTT expression, including in deep brain regions, with persistence for up to 6 months and good tolerability.

Atalanta's Pipeline

Notably, in January 2021, while announcing its Series A financing, Atalanta Therapeutics, Inc. announced strategic partnerships with Biogen and Genentech.

"This financing is further recognition of Atalanta's best-in-class di-siRNA. We are working hard to advance two key projects to submit IND applications next year, paving the way for Phase I clinical trials," said Alicia Secor, President and CEO of Atalanta.

References:

[1]https://www.atalantatx.com/atalanta-therapeutics-closes-oversubscribed-97-million-series-b-financing-to-advance-two-rnai-therapies-for-cns-diseases-to-clinical-trial/

[2]https://www.biospace.com/atalanta-therapeutics-launches-with-110-million-to-pioneer-rnai-therapeutics-for-neurodegenerative-diseases

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