Milan-based Aptadir Therapeutics raised EUR 40 million (USD 45 million) in seed financing led by 4BIO Capital to advance its pipeline of disease-modifying RNA therapeutics, including lead candidate CAP1-FMR1 for Fragile X syndrome.
The round included follow-on participation from original pre-seed investor EXTEND, alongside CDP Venture Capital, Xgen Ventures, Indaco Bio, CE-Ventures, Angelini Ventures, Kerna Ventures, Italian Angels for Biotech, and members of Club degli Investitori through Simon Fiduciaria S.p.A. EXTEND is Italy's National Technology Transfer Hub, launched by CDP Venture Capital and jointly funded by Angelini Ventures and Evotec SE.
Aptadir is a preclinical biotech developing DNMT-interacting RNAs (DiRs), a proprietary class of RNA molecules designed to inhibit DNMT1-mediated methylation at specific gene loci. The approach is intended to reactivate genes silenced by abnormal DNA methylation, with the company reporting proof-of-concept activity in patient-derived disease models.
Lead candidate CAP1-FMR1 is being developed for Fragile X syndrome, which is typically caused by expansion of a CGG repeat in the FMR1 gene that triggers DNA hypermethylation and gene silencing, resulting in loss or substantial reduction of FMRP, a protein important for normal neuronal development and function.