Boston-based NorthLinks Bio has launched with USD 34 million in financing from RA Capital Management to advance its intranasal prophylactic antiviral candidate toward Phase IIb readiness. The company is emerging from a reorganization of UK-based Pneumagen Ltd and retains research operations in St Andrews, Scotland, while establishing its commercial and clinical development base in the US.
The financing will support advancement of HEX17, an intranasal spray designed to prevent respiratory viral infections by targeting sialic acid, a host-cell receptor involved in the entry of multiple respiratory pathogens. Because the approach targets a host receptor rather than viral proteins directly, the company contends the candidate may retain activity across viral strains and variants. HEX17 is built on NorthLinks Bio's proprietary glycan-targeted platform, which uses engineered carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) to bind sialic acids on respiratory epithelial cell surfaces. The platform is described as applicable to both prophylactic and therapeutic settings across multiple respiratory viruses.
HEX17 has completed Phase I and Phase IIa studies, including a human influenza challenge trial in which prophylactic administration demonstrated approximately 50% reduction in symptomatic influenza infection, with accompanying reductions in symptom severity and viral shedding. The company reported this result as comparable to outcomes observed in similar studies with approved influenza antivirals. Proceeds from the financing will also fund HEX17 manufacturing scale-up and the build-out of US operations to support future clinical work across influenza and additional respiratory viral indications, which were not specified.
Fanny Cavalié, previously Chief Strategy & Business Operations Officer at Foghorn Therapeutics and a Venture Partner at RA Capital's Raven healthcare incubator, has been named CEO. Douglas Thomson, former CEO of Pneumagen, transitions to the NorthLinks Bio board. The board also includes Laura Tadvalkar, Managing Director at RA Capital; Mario Barro, Head of Infectious Diseases at RA Capital; Fenel Eloi, former COO of Cell Signaling Technology; and John Beadle, former CEO of PsiOxus Therapeutics. RA Capital's involvement spans both the financing and governance, with two of its representatives holding board seats alongside Cavalié.