Autifony is focused on developing high‑value, novel medicines for serious central nervous system diseases using expertise in ion channel drug discovery. The company is initiating a research programme to target a previously unexplored subtype of potassium channel implicated in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, aiming to regulate synaptic function. Autifony believes modulating this channel could both improve symptoms and have disease‑modifying potential. The new programme is being supported by a funding award from the Biomedical Catalyst and an investment from the Dementia Discovery Fund. Autifony was formed in 2011 as a spin‑out from GSK, which retains equity in the company, and is based in London, UK. Existing backers named in the announcement include SV Life Sciences, Touchstone Innovations plc, Pfizer Venture Investments, International Biotechnology Trust PLC, and UCL Business plc. Autifony Therapeutics develops novel pharmaceutical treatments for hearing disorders built around a Kv3 ion channel mechanism. Its lead program, AUT00063, will be explored in a pilot study in patients with cochlear implants, and the company is advancing AUT00206, a differentiated Kv3 modulator for schizophrenia. The firm is also exploring the Kv3 approach for tinnitus and other areas of high unmet medical need. Financially, Autifony closed an £8m extension to its Series A in 2015, supplementing a prior Series A that raised over £15m. Backers in the extension included SV Life Sciences, Imperial Innovations, Pfizer Venture Investments, the International Biotechnology Trust PLC (IBT), and UCL Business. Formed in 2011 as a spin-out from GSK and led by CEO Dr Charles Large, the company is based in London, UK. Autifony Therapeutics is developing AUT00063, a Kv3 potassium channel modulator intended to treat a variety of hearing disorders. The company is advancing clinical development toward indications including tinnitus and age-related hearing loss. It plans to use recently awarded funds to progress AUT00063 and to initiate a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase IIa study in tinnitus patients in the UK. A separate Phase IIa trial in age-related hearing loss is planned to start later this year. Autifony is an Imperial Innovations Group plc portfolio company and is led by CEO Charles H. Large, PhD; Founder and Head of Drug Discovery Giuseppe S. Alvaro, PhD; and Chief Medical Officer Peter Harris, BSc, MBBS. The company recently received a grant award to support these clinical development activities.

Total raised

$18M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Mar 2017