CAMP4 Therapeutics Corporation announced it has secured up to $100 million in gross proceeds through an oversubscribed private placement to advance its first-in-class treatment for SYNGAP1-related disorders. The financing, led by new investor Coastlands Capital, positions the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company to initiate Phase 1/2 clinical trials as early as the second half of 2026.
The Cambridge-based company develops regulatory RNA-targeting therapeutics designed to upregulate gene expression with the goal of restoring healthy protein levels to treat genetic diseases. "With this financing we are well positioned to bring a potential first-in-class treatment for SYNGAP1-related disorders into the clinic," said Josh Mandel-Brehm, President and Chief Executive Officer of CAMP4.
Financing Structure and Milestones
The private placement comprises an initial upfront financing of $50 million in gross proceeds, with CAMP4 eligible to receive up to an additional $50 million subject to achieving pre-specified milestones. The key milestone includes receipt of regulatory clearance to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in SYNGAP patients with its development candidate, CMP-SYNGAP-01.
The initial closing involves 26,681,053 shares of common stock priced at $1.53 per share, 36,361 shares priced at $1.65 for certain directors, employees and consultants, and 6,003,758 pre-funded warrants at $1.5299 each. The milestone-based portion could provide up to 32,721,172 additional shares or pre-funded warrants.
Participating investors include Janus Henderson Investors, Balyasny Asset Management, Vivo Capital, 5AM Ventures, Adage Capital Management LP, Trails Edge Capital Partners and the SynGAP Research Fund. Leerink Partners serves as lead placement agent, with Piper Sandler & Co., Cantor Fitzgerald, and Wedbush & Co. as co-placement agents.
Leadership Transitions
Concurrent with the financing, CAMP4 announced significant leadership changes. Doug Williams, Ph.D., who joined the board in March 2025, has been appointed Board Chair, while Steven Holtzman transitioned from Board Chair to Independent Director. Three board members—James Boylan, Ravi Thadhani, M.D., and Paula Ragan, Ph.D.—resigned from their positions.
Daniel Tardiff, Ph.D., the company's SVP, Head of Discovery, will be elevated to Chief Scientific Officer effective October 1, 2025. David Bumcrot, Ph.D., will transition to Scientific Fellow. Both will collaborate closely with board member Murray Stewart, DM FRCP, who becomes Chair of the Research and Development committee.
Dr. Williams brings extensive life science leadership experience, having previously served as President of R&D at Sana Biotechnology and Founding President & CEO of Codiak BioSciences. His career includes executive roles at Biogen, ZymoGenetics (acquired by BMS), Seattle Genetics, Amgen, and Immunex.
Dr. Tardiff joined CAMP4 in 2023 and has led the company's drug discovery efforts. He previously served as a team leader in Pfizer's Rare Disease Research Unit, exploring genetic medicines for rare neurological disorders, and was a scientific co-founder of Yumanity, where he developed novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
Regulatory RNA Platform Technology
CAMP4's proprietary RAP Platform® enables mapping of regulatory RNAs (regRNAs) and generation of therapeutic candidates designed to target regRNAs associated with genes underlying genetic disorders. The company's therapeutic antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drug candidates target regRNAs, which act locally on transcription factors and serve as master regulators of gene expression.
The platform addresses haploinsufficient and recessive partial loss-of-function disorders, of which there are more than 1,200, where modest increases in protein expression may provide clinical benefits. CAMP4's approach amplifies mRNA by harnessing fundamental mechanisms of gene control, offering potential disease-modifying treatments for genetic diseases where amplifying healthy protein may offer therapeutic benefits.
The company intends to use net proceeds from the private placement to fund preclinical and clinical development of its SYNGAP1 program, working capital, and general corporate purposes. This investment represents what Mandel-Brehm described as "a critical milestone as we continue our mission of developing potentially disease modifying medicines for patients with disorders marked by suboptimal gene expression."
