Nkure raises a pre-Series A financing To Finalise Manufacturing Methods and Preclinical investigations for their Expected IND Application

Nkure Therapeutics, an NK cell therapy startup, has announced the completion of its pre-Series A round, in which Endiya Partners, Kotak Investment Advisors, Featherlite, and a few angel investors participated. Nkure intends to use the funds to finish its production methods and preclinical investigations in preparation for its scheduled IND application. This groundbreaking work gets the firm closer to its goal of providing world-class CAR-NK cell therapy to cancer patients in India at a reasonable cost.

Nkure, situated in Bengaluru, was formed in 2022 by a scientist, Dr Mahendra Rao, who was previously the founding director of the NIH's Centre for Regenerative Medicine. A highly experienced team of scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (CCAMP) and business leaders with a track record of co-founding some of India's best healthcare start-ups back the company. From its first year of operation, the company has successfully created an NK cell platform at laboratory size, as well as agreements with CDMOs in India and the United States.

It has also obtained exclusive licences to a specialised CAR and related technology, making it the first of its kind in India. It has also received support from the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology. According to Dr. Rao, the company would deliver cheap remedies to cancer patients in India suffering from late stage leukaemias and solid tumours based on early results, soon to be patented technology, and the availability of a world class research centre (CCAMP). This game-changing technology has the potential to cure previously incurable malignancies."

"The current global cancer cell therapy ecosystem faces significant scale and pricing challenges." We believe Nkure is ideally positioned to disrupt the existing quo, and we are thrilled to be their partners on this adventure," said Dr. Ramesh Byrapaneni, who represents Endiya Partners on the Nkure Board. "Nkure's therapy platform will address incurable diseases that affect millions of patients each year." Because of its scalability and cost, this solution is particularly tailored to improve access to such new cancer treatments," said Nitin Deshmukh of Kotak Investments. Nkure aims to set the standard for quality and affordability in cell therapy for targeted illnesses associated with liquid tumours (leukaemia) and solid malignancies.