Nilo Therapeutics in $101M Series A for Neural Circuit Medicines - InforCapital

Nilo Therapeutics, a biotech firm specializing in the utilization of neural circuits to restore immune balance in disease, has made its debut with a $101 million Series A financing. The funding round was steered by The Column Group (TCG), DCVC Bio, and Lux Capital, and saw participation from the Gates Foundation and Alexandria Venture Investments. Alongside its launch, Nilo declared the appointment of Kim Seth, Ph.D., as the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors.

The company's founding was a collaborative effort involving world-class scientists Charles Zuker, Ph.D., from Columbia University, Ruslan Medzhitov, Ph.D., from Yale University, and Steve Liberles, Ph.D., from Harvard University, in conjunction with TCG. The aim was to convert innovative scientific insights in neuro-immunology into new therapeutic strategies. The newly appointed CEO, Dr. Seth, will join Chief Scientific Officer Laurens Kruidenier, Ph.D., in steering the company's shift from stealth to its next growth phase. The funds procured from the financing will be channeled towards setting up Nilo’s laboratories in New York City, expanding its multidisciplinary research and development team, and furthering the company's preclinical programs.

Nilo is pioneering the development of drugs that exploit neural circuits to centrally restore immune homeostasis. This offers a unique approach to immunomodulation, transcending traditional immunosuppression. The company's work is grounded on crucial scientific discoveries made in the lab of Charles Zuker, Ph.D., which identified specific vagal neurons that govern systemic immune activation and inflammation. By targeting these central "master regulator" brain-body circuits, Nilo is applying its novel therapeutic approach to simultaneously modulate multiple immune pathways, thereby mitigating the risk of therapeutic resistance and widening potential impact across a broad range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with large unmet needs.

Dr. Seth brings to the table over 25 years of biopharma industry experience, spanning multiple early-stage and public biotech companies and large pharma. Prior to joining Nilo, Dr. Seth served as Chief Business Officer at Repare Therapeutics, a precision oncology company, where he played a vital role in scaling the company from pre-Series A through its Series B financing and IPO. He is joined by Laurens Kruidenier, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, an experienced immunology and drug discovery leader.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kim as CEO,” commented Dr. Tim Kutzkey, Managing Partner at The Column Group. “With a track record of guiding companies from their earliest stages through IPO, and successfully advancing programs, Kim brings both breadth and vision. His passion for translating bold science into breakthrough medicines makes him the ideal partner to complement Laurens’ scientific leadership and lead Nilo into its next phase of growth.”

Based in New York, Nilo Therapeutics is a biotech company developing a new class of medicines that leverage neural circuits to restore immune balance in disease. By targeting master regulator brain-body circuits that centrally control systemic inflammation, Nilo is pioneering a unique approach to immunomodulation with the potential to treat a wide spectrum of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with large unmet needs.