Nura, Inc.

A promising new approach that could slow, stop or prevent nerves from dying may get its first test in patients next year. Nura Bio, a startup based in South San Francisco, has developed an oral small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme SARM1, which neuroscientists believe is involved in many neurological conditions such as ALS. On Tuesday, the startup said it recently finished testing its drug, NB-4746, in healthy volunteers. The company also announced that it raised $68 million in an extension of its Series A financing, bringing its total funding to $141 million since launching in 2020 . The new funds are expected to help Nura begin a Phase 1b/2 trial in patients in 2025. Shilpa Sambashivan, who was previously the company’s chief scientific officer and has now been promoted to CEO, told Endpoints News that she believes the drug “has very broad therapeutic potential.” Her team is still deciding which disease to test the drug in first. Eli Lilly is also developing a SARM1 inhibitor , which it got from its acquisition of Disarm Therapeutics in 2020 for $135 million upfront and up to $1.225 billion in milestone payments. Lilly is testing the drug’s safety in a large Phase 1 study of healthy volunteers that’s expected to wrap up in June 2025. But the pharma company also hasn’t said which disease it will test the drug in first. Picking the right test case for the drug will be key. The neurodegenerative disease space is littered with compounds that looked promising in preclinical studies but have failed to meaningfully stall disease in humans. Sambashivan said that Nura has tested its drug in models of ALS, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. She also envisions a role for the drug in treating eye diseases like glaucoma and preventing peripheral neuropathies caused by chemotherapy. To get a read on how well the drug is working, Nura will look at levels of a protein called neurofilament light, which is shed as neurons die, she added. Nura Bio, which has fewer than 20 employees, was partly based on research from Marc Freeman, a scientist at Oregon Health & Science University who discovered genetic mutations in SARM1 that protected against axon degeneration. Scientists initially suspected the protein was part of the immune system, but soon realized it was an enzyme that breaks down a molecule called NAD, which is important for the proper functioning of many other enzymes. Much of the work at Nura has focused on unraveling the inner workings of the enzyme to create a drug that can inhibit it. Yet in many ways, the enzyme still remains a mystery. It doesn’t chew up the ends of neurons itself, and how exactly its role in breaking down NAD leads to axon degeneration is unknown. “We don’t completely understand the connection,” Sambashivan said. What is clear is that the enzyme is shut down in healthy people, she added. “It’s very tightly regulated. There are checks and balances that keep it turned off. Because when it turns on, it’s catastrophic in the degenerative loss that it drives.” Nura’s new funding round was led by The Column Group, the startup’s founding investor. Prior investors Samsara BioCapital and Euclidean Capital and newcomer Sanofi Ventures chipped in, too. “We’ve been very fortunate to have our investors stay with us,” Sambashivan said. “The science hasn’t been easy, and sometimes, as you know, you can’t expedite the science by throwing a whole lot of money or resources at it.”

The Spinal Simplicity Hero-SI Implant Combination of Patriot-SI and Liberty-SI Allows Surgeons a Hybrid SI Joint Fusion Construct Offering New Treatment Options for Conditions Such as Sacroiliac Disruptions and Degenerative Sacroiliitis EDINA, Minn., July 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nura Pain Clinics, the Twin Cities' foremost multidisciplinary pain management clinic and subsidiary of the Capitol Pain family of practices, announced today that one of its interventional pain physicians, Dr. R. Scott Stayner, performed the first sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion procedure in the Midwest using the Hero-SI Hybrid Construct by Spinal Simplicity. The patient struggled with SI joint dysfunction for a long time and tried everything from medications to physical therapy and injections to manage their lower back pain, but nothing worked. The Nura team recommended the Hero-SI joint fusion procedure using the Patriot SI and Liberty-SI Systems and within a few weeks, the patient's pain was reduced by 70%, and they were back to doing the things they previously enjoyed. SI joint dysfunction refers to improper movement or functioning of the sacroiliac joints, which connect the spine to the pelvis. The SI joints are some of the largest joints in the body and are used during any movement or shifting of the hips. Fifteen to 25% of chronic lower back pain can be caused by SI joint issues, and this number might even be higher, as the condition is often overlooked. The Patriot-SI Posterior Implant System recently received FDA 510(k) clearance and is designed for sacroiliac joint fusion only in combination with the Liberty-SI Lateral System. The system introduces a hybrid SI joint fusion construct called Hero-SI, offering new treatment options for conditions such as sacroiliac dysfunction and degenerative sacroiliitis. The Liberty SI System is a titanium implant designed to compress the SI joint and relieve pain. The minimally invasive outpatient procedure involves inserting one or two titanium implants across the SI joint designed to stabilize and fuse the SI joint. The implant is adjustable to the patient's anatomy, providing stabilization and compression to alleviate SI joint pain. "Utilizing breakthrough technology like the Hero-SI Hybrid Construct, along with Patriot-SI and Liberty-SI, marks a significant advancement in our ability to treat chronic SI joint pain," said Dr. R. Scott Stayner. "This innovative approach not only provides effective pain relief but also improves our patients' quality of life by allowing them to return to their daily activities with reduced discomfort." At Nura, patients can receive a full range of care, including medication management, physical therapy, and behavioral health, coordinated with minimally invasive interventional procedures, all within the same practice. This approach is a critical advantage for patients who otherwise may receive fragmented pain management by multiple providers at multiple locations. For more complex chronic pain problems, Nura offers a full range of implantable pain control options, including spinal cord stimulation and targeted spinal drug delivery devices. Nura's multidisciplinary approach also aims to dial down the need for opioids to treat pain. For more information on Nura Pain Clinics and its focus on pain management, visit nuraclinics.com. About Nura Pain Clinics Nura (formally MAPS Medical Pain Clinics) was founded in 1995 by David Schultz, MD, a pioneer in interventional pain management. In his work as a practicing anesthesiologist in the 1990s, Dr. Schultz realized the need to treat chronic pain patients with a more comprehensive approach and went on to establish the region's first multidisciplinary pain management clinic, coordinating high tech interventional procedures with in-house physical therapy and psychology services. Nura is nationally recognized as a center of excellence for implantable pain control and one of the leading research centers in the U.S. for trials and implants of neuromodulation devices. Nura's mission is to improve the lives of people living with the most complex chronic pain through exceptional care. About Capitol Pain Institute Capitol Pain Institute (CPI) is a leading interventional pain management platform with clinics and ambulatory surgical centers across the United States. CPI offers a customized and multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain treatment, with a particular focus on advanced procedures such as spinal cord stimulator implants. CPI partners with physicians and practices that share a common goal of providing high-quality, compassionate care at a reasonable cost. The company is also committed to enhancing the communities in which they serve and investing in the advancement of the field of pain management through innovation and evidence-based medicine. CPI was founded by Dr. Matthew Schocket in Austin, Texas in 2007. For more information, visit CapitolPain.com. SOURCE Nura Pain Clinics

The addition of Dr. Studt expands the clinic's team of experts and strengthens Nura's ability to deliver on its mission of commitment to improving the lives of people living with the most complex chronic pain through exceptional care. EDINA, Minn., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nura Pain Clinics, Minnesota's foremost multidisciplinary pain management clinic, announced today that Dr. Larry Studt will join their team of pain management providers this month. Nura, a subsidiary of the Capitol Pain family of practices, is committed to delivering exceptional patient-centered care, especially as demands for their pain services continue to grow. With the addition of Dr. Studt, Nura now has two full-time providers dedicated to seeing new patients. This will not only streamline operations but also improve accessibility to appointments for both the clinic and the surgery center, ensuring more efficient and effective care delivery. Dr. Studt joins Nura with an extensive background in family practice, occupational medicine and pain management, bringing years of invaluable experience to the team. With a proven track record of excellence in these fields, Dr. Studt's expertise enhances Nura's ability to provide comprehensive care to patients with chronic pain. Having previously worked for Nura (formerly known as MAPS Medical Advanced Pain Specialists at the time) in 2009, he has always valued the organization's multidisciplinary approach to care. "I always wanted to be a doctor," said Dr. Studt. "I am passionate about listening to patients and understanding their needs so I can help them find a treatment plan that improves their lives. Nura's ability to provide advanced procedures with medication management, physical therapy and behavioral health counseling, all under one roof, gives patients hope. If one door doesn't work, we can try the next one, until we help the patient walk through the right one." "We are dedicated to providing the best care and resources for our patients," said Dr. David Schultz, founder and CEO of Nura. "That is why, as our practice is expanding, it's a top priority for us to bring physicians like Dr. Studt on board, who share our commitment to excellence and compassion for patients with chronic pain." Dr. Studt is grateful to be making Minnesota his new home and being closer to his three adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys working on his new house, being part of a singing group, and exploring the beautiful running trails that the Twin Cities offers. Nura specializes in using minimally invasive interventional procedures to identify and treat the physical generators of pain, providing comprehensive care through the seamless coordination of medication management, physical therapy, and behavioral health services within a single medical practice. This is a critical advantage for patients who otherwise may receive fragmented pain management by multiple providers at multiple locations. For more complex chronic pain problems, Nura offers a full range of advanced implantable pain control options, including neurostimulation and targeted spinal drug delivery systems. Nura's multidisciplinary approach also aims to dial down the need for opioids to treat chronic pain. For more information on Nura Pain Clinics and its focus on pain management, visit nuraclinics.com. About Nura Pain Clinics Nura (formally MAPS Medical Pain Clinics) was founded in 1995 by David Schultz, MD, a pioneer in interventional pain management. In his work as a practicing anesthesiologist in the 1990s, Dr. Schultz realized the need to treat chronic pain patients with a more comprehensive approach and went on to establish the region's first multidisciplinary pain management clinic, coordinating high-tech interventional procedures with in-house physical therapy and psychology services. Nura is nationally recognized as a center of excellence for implantable pain control and one of the leading research centers in the U.S. for trials and implants of neuromodulation devices. Nura's mission is to improve the lives of people living with the most complex chronic pain through exceptional care. About Capitol Pain Institute Capitol Pain Institute (CPI) is a leading interventional pain management platform with clinics and ambulatory surgical centers across the United States. CPI offers a customized and multi-disciplinary approach to chronic pain treatment, with a particular focus on advanced procedures such as spinal cord stimulator implants. CPI partners with physicians and practices that share a common goal of providing high-quality, compassionate care at a reasonable cost. The company is also committed to enhancing the communities in which they serve and investing in the advancement of the field of pain management through innovation and evidence-based medicine. CPI was founded by Dr. Matthew Schocket in Austin, Texas in 2007. For more information, visit CapitolPain.com. MEDIA CONTACT Amy Moon Bellmont Partners 952-564-5733 [email protected] SOURCE Nura Pain Clinics