Pulmocide is a clinical-stage biopharma focused on developing opelconazole, a potent azole formulated for inhalation to maximize lung exposure while limiting systemic exposure. Opelconazole has shown generally good tolerability and notable clinical responses in the UK Special Needs programme. The company has launched an advanced global registration program for patients who have failed first-line therapy for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and is running a phase 2b trial of opelconazole monotherapy for prophylaxis in lung-transplant patients. Pulmocide says the inhaled profile could be useful across a range of Aspergillus-related conditions, including chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, cystic fibrosis and severe asthma. The recent financing will be used to accelerate clinical development, scale manufacturing and prepare for commercialization of the lead candidate. Investors named in the announcement include both new and historical backers supporting continued program advancement. Pulmocide is a U.K.-based biotech developing opelconazole, an inhaled antifungal intended to prevent Aspergillus infections in lung transplant recipients. The company's lead program targets invasive pulmonary fungal infections after lung transplantation and could also address chronic Aspergillus in people with cystic fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation invested $3.5 million to support a multicenter Phase 2 study focused on safety, tolerability, and patients' ability to complete the treatment regimen. The Phase 2 trial will assess whether inhaled administration is better tolerated, has fewer drug–drug interactions with common transplant medicines, and can be administered at home rather than at a transplant or CF care center. The funding is provided through the CF Foundation's Lung Transplant Initiative and is the Initiative's first clinical-stage lung transplant trial. No other financial metrics or past fundraising rounds were disclosed in the announcement. Pulmocide is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel inhaled therapies for patients with serious acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Its lead product, PC945, is a novel triazole antifungal specifically designed for inhaled use to maximise lung drug levels while minimizing systemic exposure. When nebulized, PC945 accumulates in lung airway epithelial cells and macrophages to deliver sustained doses to the site of infection. Under compassionate use in several UK clinical centers PC945 was well tolerated and demonstrated notable clinical responses in patients who had failed other therapies, with case reports published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. The company plans a global Phase III registration program in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and expects to begin patient recruitment later this year. Pulmocide raised $92 million in an oversubscribed Series C to fund the PC945 registration program. Pulmocide develops novel small-molecule medicines designed for inhaled delivery to treat RSV and pulmonary aspergillosis. The company’s lead assets include PC786, a highly potent inhaled RSV antiviral, and PC945, a potent azole antifungal for pulmonary Aspergillosis. Pulmocide is led by CEO Dr Garth Rapeport and is based in London, UK. The company intends to use the Series B proceeds to progress its wholly-owned assets through early clinical development. It is on track to deliver proof-of-concept data for PC786 in a human RSV challenge and in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis due to RSV. The PC945 program will be advanced toward indications including fungal asthma, pulmonary Aspergilloma, infections in lung transplant recipients, and cystic fibrosis patients. Pulmocide develops a new generation of inhaled medicines to treat serious viral and fungal infections of the respiratory tract. The company focuses on inhaled therapeutic formulations targeting respiratory pathogens. Leadership includes Garth Rapeport (CEO) and Pete Strong (CSO). Pulmocide raised £17m in a Series A financing to advance its programs. Backers listed in the round include Imperial Innovations, SV Life Sciences, Fidelity Biosciences and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation. The company will be based at the Imperial BioIncubator in London.

Total raised

$205M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Dec 2022