Nilo Therapeutics launched from stealth mode with a substantial $101 million Series A financing to advance a novel class of medicines that harness neural circuits to restore immune homeostasis in disease. The financing round was led by The Column Group, DCVC Bio, and Lux Capital, with participation from the Gates Foundation and Alexandria Venture Investments.
The biotechnology company, founded by world-leading scientists Charles Zuker, Ph.D. from Columbia University, Ruslan Medzhitov, Ph.D. from Yale University, and Steve Liberles, Ph.D. from Harvard University, is pioneering a differentiated approach to immunomodulation that moves beyond conventional immunosuppression. Coinciding with its launch, Nilo appointed Kim Seth, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer and Board director.
Novel Neuro-Immunology Platform
Nilo's therapeutic approach builds on seminal scientific discoveries from Charles Zuker's laboratory at Columbia University, where he serves as Principal Investigator and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. These discoveries identified specific vagal neurons that regulate systemic immune activation and inflammation, providing the foundation for the company's novel therapeutic strategy.
By targeting these central "master regulator" brain-body circuits, Nilo aims to modulate multiple immune pathways in concert, potentially reducing the risk of therapeutic resistance and broadening impact across a wide spectrum of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with large unmet medical need. This approach represents a fundamental shift from traditional immunosuppressive therapies by harnessing the body's natural neural control mechanisms.
Leadership Team and Industry Experience
Dr. Seth brings over 25 years of biopharma industry experience to his new role, with expertise spanning company building, strategy, R&D operations, business development, and capital markets. Prior to joining Nilo, he served as Chief Business Officer at Repare Therapeutics, a precision oncology company, where he was instrumental in scaling the company from pre-Series A through its Series B financing and IPO.
At Repare, Dr. Seth was responsible for establishing US business operations and led business development efforts that generated over $250 million in financing through global platform, asset, and clinical partnerships, representing over $4 billion in total potential value. His earlier career included leadership positions at various biopharma companies including Pfizer, and he served as a research analyst covering pharmaceuticals at Goldman Sachs.
Dr. Seth joins Chief Scientific Officer Laurens Kruidenier, Ph.D., an accomplished immunology and drug discovery leader who previously served as CSO at Cellarity and Prometheus Biosciences, which was acquired by Merck. At Prometheus, Dr. Kruidenier advanced multiple innovative therapies from concept to clinic in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Strategic Vision and Development Plans
The Series A financing will fuel the establishment of Nilo's laboratories in New York City, growth of its interdisciplinary research and development team, and advancement of the company's preclinical programs. The funding represents a significant investment in translating breakthrough neuro-immunology research into potential therapeutic applications.
"Nilo is at a transformative moment," said Laurens Kruidenier, Chief Scientific Officer of Nilo Therapeutics. "Kim's leadership and experience will accelerate our mission to translate breakthrough neuro-immunology into medicines that could benefit patients across a broad range of immune-driven diseases."
Dr. Tim Kutzkey, Managing Partner at The Column Group, expressed confidence in the leadership appointment: "With a track record of guiding companies from their earliest stages through IPO, and successfully advancing programs, Kim brings both breadth and vision. His passion for translating bold science into breakthrough medicines makes him the ideal partner to complement Laurens' scientific leadership and lead Nilo into its next phase of growth."
Therapeutic Potential and Market Impact
The company's approach to targeting neural circuits for immune modulation represents a potentially transformative strategy for treating autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. By focusing on central control mechanisms rather than peripheral immune targets, Nilo's platform may offer advantages in terms of therapeutic breadth and resistance profiles.
"Together with Laurens, our world-class scientific founders, and our investors, we are building a company positioned to deliver a new generation of therapies that harness the brain-immune axis to transform the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions," said Kim Seth, Chief Executive Officer of Nilo Therapeutics.
The company's headquarters in New York City positions it within a growing biotechnology hub, with access to world-class academic institutions and a robust talent pool for continued growth and development of its innovative therapeutic platform.
