Cancer drug developer NH Theraguix was incubated by Satt Pulsalys to advance a nanoparticle-based drug for solid tumours that works by enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy treatment and MRI scans.
NH Theraguix, a France-based cancer drug developer incubated by University of Lyon-focused tech transfer office Satt Pulsalys, closed a €13m ($14.6m) round today led by InnoBio 2, a life sciences-focused fund whose partners include state-owned investment bank Bpifrance.
VC fund manager Supernova Invest took part in the deal alongside private equity firm Omnes and investment management firm Arbevel. InnoBio 2 is also backed by pharmaceutical developers Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda, Ipsen and Servier.
Founded in 2015, NH Theraguix is working on a nanoparticle-based drug for solid cancers that would be injected into the patient intravenously to enhance courses of radiotherapy and MRI scans.
The drug, dubbed Aguix, is programmed to increase the radiosensitivity of the targeted tumour, thus boosting radiotherapy’s effectiveness, while also providing greater MRI contrast in order to facilitate personalised diagnoses and therapy decisions.
Aguix has already been evaluated in phase 1 clinical studies targeting metastatic brain cancer to establish its capacity for radiosensitisation, post-injection tolerance and MRI contrast enhancement in combination with standard radiotherapies.
The capital will support NH Theraguix’s clinical strategy with a view to attaining proof-of-concept, through activities including a phase 2 trial of Aguix in metastatic brain cancer and a phase 1 study targeting advanced cervical cancer.
NH Theraguix also hopes to augment the skillset of its workforce and scale its production capacity, having contracted out the manufacturing of its assets to Sanofi and drug development services provider Carbogen.
The company’s chief scientific officer is Olivier Tillement, who heads a lab at Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 research hub Institut Lumière Matière. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 is part of the University of Lyon system.
NH Theraguix previously raised $1.3m in 2017 through investment services firm Invest Securities’ VC portal, Pre-IPO, before adding another $1.3m the following July from unnamed business angels and Supernova 2, an investment fund managed by Supernova Invest.
