Stevenage-based biotech startup NRG Therapeutics has closed a £50 million Series B funding round as it moves towards clinical trials for its pipeline of treatments targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases.
The round includes an £8 million investment from the British Business Bank, alongside lead investor SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) and follow-on funding from M Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, Criteria Bio Ventures, and existing backers Omega Funds and Brandon Capital.
The Series B funding will support NRG’s transition from pre-clinical to clinical stage, with a particular focus on clinical proof-of-concept in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease (MND). The company also plans to generate initial clinical data in Parkinson’s disease.
Founded to address the growing burden of neurodegenerative diseases, NRG Therapeutics is developing a new class of small molecule inhibitors targeting the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), a mechanism associated with cell death and neuroinflammation.
Its lead candidate, NRG5051, has shown strong neuroprotective effects in pre-clinical models of ALS/MND and Parkinson’s disease, including reducing neuroinflammation. Having completed IND-enabling studies, NRG5051 is on track to enter first-in-human trials in early 2026.
“The pathological proteins in Parkinson’s and ALS/MND are toxic to mitochondria and contribute to the mitochondrial dysfunction which is a common underlying pathology in neurodegenerative diseases,” the company stated. “Inhibition of mPTP opening has been shown to protect mitochondria from this gain-of-function protein toxicity and to preserve neurons in pre-clinical models.”
Neurodegenerative diseases remain one of the most challenging areas for drug development. Despite high failure rates in clinical trials, the growing prevalence of conditions like ALS and Parkinson’s, particularly in aging populations, continues to attract investors seeking scalable scientific innovation with long-term impact.
“Developing new drugs to treat neurological diseases is very challenging but is receiving increased interest given the high unmet medical need and growing prevalence in aging populations,” said Dr. Neil Miller, co-founder and CEO of NRG Therapeutics. “These new funds provide the runway to advance our lead programme through PoC in ALS/MND, and to develop our portfolio of small molecule candidate drugs for other indications including Parkinson’s, offering new hope to the growing number of people and their families impacted by ALS/MND and Parkinson’s.”
“We seek to back the best of UK life sciences, helping to turn breakthrough research into world-leading, fully commercial companies,” said Leandros Kalisperas, Chief Investment Officer at British Business Bank. “Like many of our life sciences investments, our investment in NRG Therapeutics is especially rewarding because it has the potential to help find a solution to one of the world’s largest healthcare challenges.”
As part of the Series B transaction, Emma Johnson (British Business Bank), Laurence Barker (SV Health Investors), Charlotte Kremers (M Ventures), and Florian Muellershausen (Novartis Venture Fund) will join NRG’s board of directors, bringing added industry expertise as the company heads into clinical development.
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