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  2. >>R&D
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Neumora Reveals Mid-Stage Data For Fully Funded, Phase III-Ready Depression Drug

Private Biotech Has Raised $650m To Date

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Neumora’s once-daily oral kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist navacaprant succeeded in a Phase II trial and will move into the first of three Phase III studies soon, with a US filing targeted for 2025.

Fear, loneliness, depression, abuse, addiction
Neumora's navacaprant aims to treat anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure or joy, in depression patients • Source: Shutterstock

Privately held Neumora Therapeutics, Inc. has one well-funded rival in the late-stage development of a kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), but as the company moves its drug candidate navacaprant (NMRA-140) into Phase III this year, it also has its own deep well of cash to execute its pivotal trials and a slightly different approach to the MDD market than Johnson & Johnson has taken with its Phase III KOR antagonist aticaprant.

Neumora was founded in 2019 to develop precision medicines for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, and came out of stealth mode in 2021 with more than $400m in series A venture capital plus $100m provided by Amgen, Inc., from which the start-up licensed a pair of preclinical drug candidates

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