Aspen Neuroscience has closed a $115 million Series C financing round to accelerate clinical development of its personalized autologous cell therapy programs, marking one of the company’s most significant funding milestones to date. The San Diego-based biotechnology firm is advancing ANPD001, its lead therapy for moderate to advanced Parkinson’s disease, and plans to expand manufacturing and pipeline development with the new capital.
The round was co-led by OrbiMed, ARCH Venture Partners, Frazier Life Sciences, and Revelation Partners. Returning investors included Medical Excellence Capital, S32, Axon Ventures, LYFE Capital, and LifeForce Capital. New investors joining the syndicate included Kite, a Gilead Company; Balyasny Asset Management; Cormorant Asset Management; and Prebys Ventures. The new financing brings Aspen’s total capital raised to more than $340 million, inclusive of an $8 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
As part of the Series C closing, Cindy Perettie, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Kite, a Gilead Company, will join Aspen Neuroscience’s board of directors.
Aspen will allocate the new capital toward advancing clinical trials for ANPD001, scaling its manufacturing capabilities to support both clinical and future commercial production, and advancing its pipeline of autologous iPSC-derived therapies for additional neurological disorders. The company continues to build its proprietary manufacturing platform, which integrates machine learning and advanced genomics to deliver personalized cell products with high consistency and quality.
The financing follows the initiation of dosing for Cohort 3 in Aspen’s Phase 1/2a ASPIRO trial. The company recently presented six-month safety and efficacy data from Cohort 1, demonstrating favorable tolerability and clinician- and patient-reported improvements without the need for immunosuppression.
ANPD001 is the most advanced autologous investigational cell therapy in the United States for Parkinson’s disease and has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Because the treatment uses a patient’s own cells, Aspen’s approach aims to avoid immunosuppression, eliminate the need for drug monitoring, and enable treatment for individuals with contraindications to immunosuppressive medications.
Aspen has also begun administering its commercial formulation of ANPD001 in Cohort 3, which is designed to be cryopreserved and ready to dose. The approach aims to simplify surgical workflows and reduce the demand on hospital cell-processing laboratories.
The company highlights three core components that differentiate its platform: a proprietary manufacturing system that generates induced pluripotent stem cells and then dopaminergic neuronal precursor cells from a small skin biopsy; a therapeutic platform that enables personalized autologous treatment without long-term immunosuppression; and a precision delivery device that uses MRI guidance to place cells with sub-millimeter accuracy during a minimally invasive procedure.
Headquartered in San Diego, Aspen Neuroscience is focused on autologous regenerative medicine for neurological diseases with significant unmet patient needs. Its pipeline includes ANPD001 and multiple additional programs targeting neurodegenerative conditions.
KEY QUOTES:
“This financing marks a pivotal moment for Aspen as we accelerate our mission to deliver personalized regenerative therapies for people with Parkinson’s disease and beyond. We are grateful for the confidence our investors have shown in our science, team, vision, and market opportunity. The significant experience and deep capital resources our investor syndicate brings will be instrumental in advancing Aspen’s next phases of clinical development and commercial readiness. Their strategic guidance and financial support empower us to scale our operations, expand our pipeline, and bring transformative therapies closer to those in need.”
Damien McDevitt, Ph.D, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Neuroscience
“It is significant to see a private financing of this quality. Securing this round is a testament to how this team is rising above with innovation in product characterization, manufacturing automation, and positive clinical results. Aspen is poised to deliver the first potentially disease modifying therapy for the millions of patients waiting for these advancements.”
Faheem Hasnain, Board Chairman, Aspen Neuroscience
