Basel (Switzerland) – Noema Pharma (‘Noema”) AG, a Swiss clinical-stage company targeting orphan neurological disorders, today announced it has successfully concluded an oversubscribed Series A financing round, raising €51 million (CHF54 million) to fund further development of its promising clinical-stage pipeline. The global consortium of new international investors includes Sofinnova Partners (co-lead), Gilde Healthcare, Polaris Partners (co-lead), Invus and BioMed Partners. Roche, the Swiss multinational healthcare company, received a shareholding in Noema in exchange for rights to four clinical-stage product-candidates.
Arthur Franken of Gilde Healthcare and Darren Carroll of Polaris Partners join Antoine Papiernik of Sofinnova Partners on the Company’s Board of Directors.
The product-candidates will be developed in neurological indications with severe unmet need, such as seizures in tuberculosis sclerosis complex (TSC), trigeminal neuralgia, Tourette syndrome and other rare neurological disorders.
A 2019 seed investment from Sofinnova Partners formed Noema. From the outset, Noema has been leveraging the latest scientific discoveries in neuroscience to identify and pursue promising new indications, and to elaborate a strategy around the four product candidates it licensed from Roche.
Mr. Luigi Costa, Chief Executive Officer, said:
“The successful licensing of these exciting clinical-stage product-candidates from Roche, together with our up-sized €51 million Series A financing will enable Noema to reach value-creating development milestones with all four products. We are honored to have garnered continued support from our seed investor, Sofinnova Partners, and to have attracted Polaris Partners, as a co-lead investor. We are equally pleased to welcome highly experienced specialist investors Gilde Healthcare, Invus and BioMed Partners. We are now in a solid position to continue advancing these potentially life-changing therapeutics for patients who have no satisfactory treatment options.”
George Garibaldi, MD, Chief Medical Officer, said:
“The strong clinical and preclinical safety packages generated at Roche will enable us to swiftly pursue a series of clinical programs in orphan CNS indications. Our analyses, based on new scientific evidence, have led us to indications upon which we have been building new intellectual property and efficient development and regulatory strategies. Across all our clinical initiatives, we focus on partnering with patients and patient associations to gather their input on what matters to them.”
About Noema Pharma
Noema Pharma (www.noemapharma.com) is a Swiss-based company targeting orphan neurological disorders characterized by imbalanced neuronal networks. The company is developing four mid-clinical-stage therapeutic products in-licensed from Roche and with strong safety packages. Lead product NOE-101, an mGluR5 inhibitor, is Phase 2b-ready for two indications: persistent seizures in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and severe pain in Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). NOE-105, a PDE10A inhibitor, is in preparation for Phase 2b testing to treat Tourette Syndrome. The Company is undertaking validation studies in undisclosed indications for two additional clinical-stage assets, NOE-109, an mGluR2/3 inhibitor, and NOE-115, a triple re-uptake inhibitor. Noema Pharma was founded with the leading venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners. Investors include Polaris Capital, Gilde Healthcare, Invus and Biomed Partners.
About Gilde Healthcare
Gilde Healthcare (www.gildehealthcare.com) is a specialized healthcare investor managing over €1.4 billion across two fund strategies: venture & growth capital and private equity. Gilde Healthcare’s venture & growth capital fund invests in fast growing companies active in therapeutics, medtech and digital health. The venture & growth companies are based in Europe and North America. Gilde Healthcare’s private equity fund invests in profitable European lower mid-market healthcare companies with a focus on the Benelux and DACH region.