Leal Therapeutics has raised $30 million in a Series A financing round to advance its pipeline of neuro-metabolic therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The round was led by SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), with participation from OrbiMed, Newpath Partners, Chugai Venture Fund, Euclidean Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments, and PhiFund.
The funding will support the company’s lead candidate, LTX-001, through clinical trials in schizophrenia, while advancing LTX-002 toward initial clinical data in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Christian Jung, Ph.D., Partner at SV Health Investors, has also joined Leal’s board of directors as part of the financing.
Leal’s research focuses on correcting metabolic imbalances in the brain—a factor strongly linked to both neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Its lead asset, LTX-001, is a brain-penetrant oral small molecule that targets excessive glutamate, which has been implicated in conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and ALS. Early clinical data show safety and strong target engagement.
Alongside it, LTX-002, an antisense oligonucleotide therapy, is being developed for ALS by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for ceramide and sphingolipid production, pathways implicated in neurodegeneration. The company is also advancing LTX-007 for Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and inherited sphingolipidoses, and developing delivery technologies to improve transport of nucleic acid therapies across the blood-brain barrier.
Proceeds from the Series A will drive LTX-001 through efficacy studies in schizophrenia and bring LTX-002 into the clinic for ALS. Additional funds will also support preclinical pipeline programs, including next-generation approaches for genetic and sporadic CNS disorders.
“This financing enables us to further progress our first-in-class neuro-metabolic pipeline to clinical data for patients with severe unmet needs,” said Asa Abeliovich, M.D., Ph.D., founder and CEO of Leal Therapeutics. “We’re grateful to our new and existing investors for their shared commitment to advancing this work.”
Founded in 2021 and based in Worcester, Massachusetts, Leal Therapeutics brings together expertise in CNS drug development, human genetics, and biomarker analysis. The company’s approach centers on targeting the metabolic processes that intersect with brain function—an area often overlooked in conventional drug discovery.
Leal has also built the infrastructure to scale both small molecule and nucleic acid therapies for CNS applications, positioning itself to translate its research into clinical programs more efficiently.
The Series A was led by DDF, the world’s largest venture fund focused on dementia therapies, with more than $600 million dedicated to the field. The fund’s cornerstone investors include AARP, the British Business Bank, and Gates Frontier.
Other participants in the round—OrbiMed, Newpath Partners, Chugai Venture Fund, Euclidean Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments, and PhiFund—have longstanding track records in biotech funding, reflecting broad investor confidence in Leal’s scientific approach.
“Leal is advancing promising and highly differentiated programs for CNS disorders with a clear clinical strategy and a uniquely qualified team,” said Dr. Jung. “We believe the company is well-positioned to make significant strides in the treatment of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.”
