Vandria Secures $30.7M in Series A to Push Mitophagy Drug into Clinical Trials

Vandria SA, a biotech company focused on mitochondrial therapeutics, has completed its Series A funding round, bringing in $30.7 million (CHF 28.3 million).

New investors Hevolution Foundation and Dolby Family Ventures joined ND Capital in supporting the development of Vandria’s lead compound, VNA-318, a mitophagy inducer targeting neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The global market for Alzheimer’s disease alone is projected to grow from $7.6 billion to a much larger figure by 2035, driven by an aging population, advances in diagnosis, and growing awareness of the disease. VNA-318, if successful, could capture a substantial share of this expanding market.

See also: Companies Driving Innovation To Fight Alzheimer’s Disease

VNA-318 is designed to remove damaged mitochondria, potentially improving cognitive function and providing long-term disease-modifying effects. The compound is set to begin Phase 1 clinical trials in Europe shortly, with plans for additional efficacy studies in 2025.

Hevolution Foundation, known for its focus on healthy aging, and Dolby Family Ventures, with its emphasis on precision neuroscience, both see potential in Vandria’s approach. Jens Eckstein of Hevolution Foundation highlighted mitophagy's relevance to age-related diseases, while Sourav Kole from Dolby Family Ventures pointed to the strong preclinical data supporting the compound’s neuroprotective effects.

Klaus Dugi, CEO of Vandria, commented:

"I am delighted to welcome Hevolution Foundation and Dolby Family Ventures, alongside ND Capital, to support our transformation into a clinical stage company. This Financing will enable us to progress further in clinical development with runway from the series A to complete the Single Ascending Dose (SAD) and Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) first-in-man Phase 1 study of VNA-318 and to initiate three parallel Phase 1b / 2a efficacy studies in 2025, subject to positive progress in the Phase 1 and regulatory approvals."

Vandria has made noticeable progress since its initial Series A close in December 2023. The company has expanded its pipeline, moved into new labs at Superlab Suisse, and secured CHF 4.2 million in non-dilutive funding from Innosuisse and Eurostars to further support its research.

The funds will allow Vandria to advance VNA-318 through early clinical stages and to explore its broader mitophagy platform, which also targets other conditions like muscle, lung, and liver diseases.

Topics: Novel Therapeutics