Naurex is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Evanston, Ill., that has built a platform to discover drugs that enhance synaptic plasticity via selective modulation of the NMDA receptor. Its lead molecule, GLYX-13, has demonstrated rapid, robust and sustained antidepressant effects in multiple Phase 2 studies and was well-tolerated in clinical proof-of-concept studies. Naurex is proceeding with a GLYX-13 Phase 3 program after completing an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA and expects Phase 3 to begin in 2015. The company’s next-generation oral candidate, NRX-1074, is in Phase 2 for major depressive disorder and has shown promising preclinical efficacy and early clinical tolerability. Naurex applies its NMDA-focused platform to generate a pipeline of subtype-selective modulators aimed at a range of CNS indications, including depression, traumatic brain injury and neuropathic pain. The company planned to use financing proceeds to support ongoing clinical development of GLYX-13, NRX-1074 and related development activities across its pipeline. Naurex is a clinical-stage company based in Evanston, Illinois, developing drugs that modulate the NMDA receptor for psychiatry and neurology. Its lead program is GLYX-13, an NMDA receptor modulator in development for the treatment of depression. The company is also advancing its second-generation compound NRX-1074 into Phase I and II clinical trials in depression. Naurex plans to further develop its second- and third-generation programs for other CNS disorders. Leadership includes CEO Derek A. Small and executive chairman Bill Gantz, and the company’s programs are based on work by founder Dr. Joseph R. Moskal and colleagues at Northwestern University. Financially, Naurex completed a $38M Series B financing to fund these development programs. Naurex, based in Evanston, IL, is a clinical-stage company focused on therapeutics for psychiatry and neurology. Its lead compound is GLYX-13, a glycine-site functional partial agonist (GFPA) selective modulator of the NMDA receptor. GLYX-13 showed promising antidepressant activity and excellent safety in preclinical studies, results that were confirmed in a Phase I clinical trial. The company plans a Phase II trial targeting patients not achieving an adequate response to current antidepressants. Naurex is also advancing a second-generation GFPA program with multiple molecules showing preclinical proof of concept. The company is led by CEO Derek A. Small and has made recent board appointments including Wilbur (Bill) Gantz as chairman, with Terry Gould and Kenneth Widder joining the board.

Total raised

$136M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Dec 2014