British biopharma startup NightstaRx, which develops gene therapy for inherited retinal dystrophies, just closed out a $35 million Series B led by New Enterprise Associates. The funding will help NightstaRx advance several gene therapies into human trials, as well as expand its existing clinical program for the treatment of choroideremia.
The company’s approach to gene therapy involves harnessing an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver a corrective gene into patients with inherited progressive blindness. Specifically, to treat choroideremia, NightstaRx delivers a wild-type copy of the Rab-escort protein 1 (REP-1) gene (AAV2-REP1) straight into the retinal cells.
The company’s also licensed out five additional programs from University of Oxford, which is where the underlying research comes from.
Previous investor Syncona also participated in the round. NEA general partner David Mott just joined the startups board.
[Image courtesy of Flickr user Eric May]
