Milan-based NanoPhoria Bioscience has closed the first tranche of its €83.5 million Series A financing, marking the largest Series A round ever raised by an Italian biotech company. The round was led by XGEN Venture, Sofinnova Partners, and CDP Venture Capital, with participation from Panakès Partners and one additional undisclosed investor.
The capital will fund the advancement of NanoPhoria's lead asset, NP-MP1, through IND-enabling studies and into early clinical trials. This investment represents a significant vote of confidence in the company's novel approach to treating cardiovascular disease through its proprietary nano-in-micro delivery technology.
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) affects millions of people worldwide and carries a sobering prognosis. Approximately 40% of patients die within five years of diagnosis. Current treatments often fail to address the underlying problem: weakened cardiac contractility.
NP-MP1 is a first-in-class peptide designed to target cardiac L-type calcium channels directly. By improving ejection fraction, it aims to strengthen the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. "Our innovative delivery platform allows us to target previously inaccessible cellular targets in the cardiomyocyte, thereby bringing us closer to delivering life-changing treatments for patients living with serious cardiac and other chronic conditions who are underserved by existing treatments," said Claudio De Luca, CEO and co-founder.
The Series A proceeds will support multiple critical objectives. NanoPhoria plans to complete IND-enabling studies for NP-MP1 and advance the candidate into early clinical development. The company will also scale up its GMP manufacturing capabilities and prepare regulatory submissions.
Beyond HFrEF, the funding enables NanoPhoria to explore additional therapeutic applications for its delivery platform. The nano-in-micro technology offers potential across various chronic diseases where direct cellular targeting has proven difficult.
NanoPhoria was founded in 2022 as a spin-off from Italy's National Research Council (CNR). The founding team includes Daniele Catalucci, Michele Iafisco, Alessio Alogna, and Claudio De Luca. The company's board is chaired by Suman Shirodkar.
At the core of NanoPhoria's approach is a versatile lung-to-heart delivery system based on inorganic calcium phosphate nanoparticles. This technology has demonstrated strong efficacy in preclinical models of heart failure. The platform's ability to reach specific cellular targets in cardiomyocytes opens new possibilities for treating diseases that have resisted conventional drug delivery methods.
De Luca emphasized the collaborative effort behind the company's progress: "We are profoundly grateful to our scientific founders, our investors, our Board, and our Chair, Suman Shirodkar, whose vision and efforts have shaped NanoPhoria's progress and ambition."
The investor syndicate brings together some of Europe's most experienced life sciences investors. Paolo Fundarò, Managing Partner at XGEN Venture, explained the firm's rationale: "This investment perfectly aligns with XGEN's strategy to lead early financing rounds in the most innovative Italian startups that address true medical needs. NanoPhoria's science provides a novel, and viable, way of delivering highly potent therapeutics directly to the heart and we look forward to working alongside such a fantastic syndicate of investors."
Henrijette Richter, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners, highlighted the platform's broader potential: "NanoPhoria's platform has the potential to redefine treatment paradigms in cardiovascular and other chronic diseases which is why we are excited to invest in this company." She also acknowledged the early support from her colleague Lucia Faccio, Partner in the Sofinnova Telethon Strategy, whose involvement was instrumental in the company's early development.
CDP Venture Capital contributed to the round through its Large Ventures Fund. The fund, which manages €4.7 billion in assets, focuses on supporting startups at various stages of growth through both direct and indirect investments.
