Atalanta Therapeutics Secures $110M Series A to Transform CNS Drug Delivery With Branched siRNA Innovation

Atalanta Therapeutics has officially entered the arena with a $110 million financial commitment, marking a significant milestone in RNA interference-based drug development. The funding package combines Series A investment from F-Prime Capital alongside upfront payments from strategic partnerships with Biogen and Genentech, signaling strong institutional confidence in the company’s approach to solving one of biotech’s most persistent challenges: delivering therapeutics to the brain and spinal cord.

The Core Innovation: Branched siRNA Architecture

At the heart of Atalanta Therapeutics lies proprietary technology called branched siRNA, licensed from the University of Massachusetts Medical School following three decades of RNA biology research. Unlike conventional RNAi approaches that struggle with CNS penetration, this novel oligonucleotide architecture demonstrates exceptional ability to reach deep brain structures while maintaining prolonged therapeutic effect. Published preclinical data in Nature Biotechnology reveals distribution capabilities that previous technologies have not achieved, potentially unlocking an entire class of neurological conditions to RNA interference intervention.

Strategic Partnerships Drive Multiple Disease Targets

Biogen and Genentech aren’t simply writing checks—they’re committing to co-development efforts that validate Atalanta Therapeutics’ technical platform. With Biogen, the company will develop RNAi candidates targeting HTT for Huntington’s disease treatment alongside additional undisclosed CNS targets. The Genentech partnership expands the therapeutic scope to include Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease programs. Both collaborations structure milestone payments and royalties, aligning incentives around clinical success rather than upfront cash alone.

World-Class Scientific Pedigree Meets Industry Veterans

The founding team represents a rare convergence of academic rigor and commercial expertise. Craig Mello, a 2006 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine for discovering RNA interference itself, anchors the scientific credibility. Anastasia Khvorova brings two decades of oligonucleotide drug design experience, while Neil Aronin contributes over 30 years studying Huntington’s disease. Leadership amplifies this with seasoned operators: Alicia Secor (CEO, formerly of Juniper Pharmaceuticals), Aimee Jackson (CSO, 18 years in RNA therapeutics), and a bench of executives from biotech leaders like Moderna, Genentech, and Biogen.

Why This Matters for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment

The unmet need is staggering—Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s patients have limited options despite decades of research effort. Traditional small molecules and first-generation biologics cannot adequately access the CNS or achieve sufficient potency against genetic targets. Atalanta Therapeutics’ branched siRNA platform addresses both constraints simultaneously, potentially enabling rational gene silencing approaches for conditions previously considered untreatable with RNA technology. If the science holds through clinical testing, this could reshape how neurologists approach genetic neurodegenerative diseases.