Heavenly for Cellestial Health as it raises pre-seed funding
The equity round was led by Zinc VC, with the latest investment tranche supported by SFC Capital and independent angel investors from Alma Angels, a community supporting female founders.
The funding will enable Cellestial’s mission to revolutionise how it treat brain disorders by shifting the therapeutic focus towards the inclusion of astrocytes in drug development.
On top of this equity round, Cellestial was awarded £340k in early-stage grant funding from Parkinson’s UK and Cambridge Enterprise - the University’s commercial arm - to further validate the strength of its science and commercial potential.
Founder and CEO, Dr Nat Hastings and her team have built on years of academic research to validate their first drug target in Parkinson’s disease. The company is developing brain-permeable small molecule drugs designed to restore normal astrocytic network function, a promising new pathway for neurodegenerative conditions.
To drive its pipeline expansion, Cellestial Health has partnered with leading drug discovery experts including Charles River Discovery UK and the o2h discovery.
A recent Kickstarter Award from o2h discovery enabled Cellestial Health to advance the development of its astrocyte-targeted small molecule pipeline. This collaboration brings together o2h’s expertise in early-stage drug discovery and synthesis with Cellestial’s innovative approach to neuroprotective therapeutics.
Dr Hastings said: “Our approach stems from the urgent need for treatments that go beyond symptom management in Parkinson’s. Patients and caregivers know too well that the existing drugs do not stop the disease from getting worse. By targeting astrocytes – essential brain cells that have traditionally been neglected in drug development, we’re opening new possibilities.”
Natalie Pankova, MD Deeptech & Healthcare, Zinc, said: “Cellestial Health’s approach to advancing the understanding and treatment of brain disorders that affect millions of people worldwide is at the core of Zinc’s investment thesis around tackling the most complex health challenges we face. We are delighted to be partnering with Nat and the team on their journey to impact at scale with a disruptive innovation that has the potential to improve the lives of millions.”