TRIMTECH Therapeutics has raised a further €12m, taking its seed round to €41m to develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
The Cambridge-based biotechnology company is developing small-molecule therapies designed to target and break down protein aggregates linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Protein aggregates are abnormal clumps that can build up in cells and disrupt their normal function.
The latest funding, equivalent to about US$14m, will be used to advance the company’s technology platforms and treatment portfolio.
Nicki Thompson, chief executive of TRIMTECH Therapeutics, said:
“We welcome JJDC and BGF as investors in our Seed financing round and thank them for their support.
“This additional funding allows us to forge ahead with developing our portfolio of CNS penetrant degraders based on our unique platforms.”
The financing was led by Johnson & Johnson’s venture capital organisation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JJDC, and BGF, which joined the company’s existing investors.
The extension brings the total raised in the seed round to €41m, equivalent to approximately US$47m, following an earlier raise.
The extension comes amid continued investment in European biotechnology companies working on central nervous system diseases, targeted protein modulation, drug discovery infrastructure and related treatment platforms in 2026.
Comparable deals include Laigo Bio’s €17m seed round for protein degradation and Ternary Therapeutics’ €4.1m seed round for AI-designed molecular glues.
Other central nervous system investments include Aerska’s €32m raise, Exciva’s €51m Series B for Alzheimer’s-related drug development and Gate2Brain’s €7m investment for brain tumour and drug delivery work.
Investment in Ternary, Houdini Bio and Cambridge-based Nuclera also points to a wider pattern of funding for platform-led biotechnology companies in the UK and Europe.
Thompson said: “TRIMTECH has incredibly strong scientific foundations combined with a world leading team augmented by a globally recognised investor syndicate.
“I’m excited to work with this exceptional group, to deliver the next phase of growth for the company.”
Founded in 2023, TRIMTECH is developing selective small-molecule protein degraders for neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.
Protein degraders are treatments designed to direct the body’s cellular disposal system towards harmful or unwanted proteins.
The founding team includes Leo James of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Will McEwan of the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge Innovation Capital and SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund were also involved in its formation, alongside their joint entrepreneur-in-residence, Damian Crowther.
The company’s technology is based on decades of academic research into TRIM21, an E3 ligase.
E3 ligases are enzymes that help cells identify proteins that should be broken down and removed.
TRIMTECH said its TRIMTAC and TRIMGLUE compounds had reproduced protein degradation achieved using other approaches, including vectors and antibodies.
It said the compounds left the functional monomeric form of the target protein intact, allowing it to continue supporting healthy cellular function.
A monomer is a single, non-clumped form of a protein.
The company said its approach could open the way for small-molecule treatments for diseases affecting large populations, including Alzheimer’s disease.
More than 55m people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, with millions more living with other neurodegenerative disorders.
TRIMTECH said its technology could have the potential to change how these patients are treated.
Following the seed extension, representatives from JJDC and BGF will join the TRIMTECH Therapeutics board as non-executive directors.
