Partly based on University of Bern research, Synendos aims to restore the endocannabinoid system to treat dysfunction in the central nervous system.
Synendos Therapeutics, a Switzerland-based central nervous system (CNS) therapy spinout of University of Bern and research consortium NCCR TransCure, obtained CHF20m ($21.9m) of series A capital yesterday from investors including public-private partnership High-Tech Gründerfonds.
Kurma Partners and Sunstone Life Science Ventures co-led the round, which also included state-owned financial services firm Zürcher Kantonalbank, Bernina Bioinvest, Schroder Adveq, Lichtsteiner Foundation, Essential Investments and unnamed private investors.
Founded in April 2019, Synendos hopes to deliver CNS treatments that restore endogenous cannabinoids key to regulating cognitive and physiological processes.
The funding will go to pre-clinical work ahead of a first in-human study that Synendos hopes will establish the safety and viability of its concept.
Synendos Therapeutics does not appear to have raised equity funding previously although it has received prize money through local startup contest Venture Kick.
Jürg Gertsch, co-director of infrastructure and research at Bern’s Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, is leading the spinout’s research with the help of Andrea Chicca, a senior scientist at the university and NCCR TransCure.
