Helex, a therapeutics company pioneering targeted non-viral gene therapies for kidney diseases, has raised an oversubscribed $3.5 million Seed round led by pi Ventures, with participation from Bluehill Capital, SOSV, and a global syndicate of investors. The new funding brings Helex’s total capital raised to over $6 million.
The New York- and Hyderabad-based company is developing programmable lipid nanoparticle (LNP) therapeutics that can deliver genetic material directly to kidney cells—a critical breakthrough in precision medicine. This approach addresses one of drug delivery’s most enduring challenges and positions Helex to redefine treatment for chronic and rare kidney conditions.
Helex’s lead program targets Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a hereditary disorder caused by mutations in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes. Affecting over 12 million people globally, ADPKD causes progressive kidney cyst formation and renal decline, often leading to dialysis or transplant. Helex aims to intervene with a single-dose non-viral gene-editing therapy designed to halt or significantly slow the disease’s progression.
The new financing will support the advancement of Helex’s ADPKD program toward IND-enabling studies and further expand its pipeline by leveraging its programmable LNP delivery and AI-driven drug design platform. The company is developing a franchise of renal gene therapies designed to enhance patient outcomes significantly.
Founded by King’s College London alumni Dr. Poulami Chaudhuri (CEO), Rohini Kalvakuntla (CBO), and Anirudh Nishtala (COO), Helex combines deep expertise in non-viral delivery, business development, and drug operations. The company also appointed lipid delivery expert Dr. Suman Alishetty—previously scientific co-founder of AexeRNA (acquired by BioNTech)—as Vice President of Drug Delivery.
KEY QUOTES:
“This is more than a new treatment; it’s a new hope. For far too long, patients with ADPKD have had to rely only on symptom management, with no true disease-modifying options. We wish to change that. By enabling targeted delivery of genomic medicines directly to the kidney, we are developing a transformative therapy that is also accessible and affordable for every patient who needs it. This seed round marks just the beginning of our journey.”
Dr. Poulami Chaudhuri, Co-founder and CEO, Helex
“ADPKD represents a significant unmet medical need, with current treatments limited to symptom management and not effective for all patients. Gene therapies are emerging as one of the most promising frontiers in medicine. Helex’s first-in-class mechanism of action has the potential to be a curative therapy and positions the company to build a differentiated pipeline of therapies for kidney diseases. We are thrilled to back this world-class team.”
Roopan Aulakh, Managing Partner, pi Ventures
“As the first investor in Helex, I’ve had the privilege of watching the founding team turn one of biotech’s hardest challenges, kidney-targeted delivery, into a real, clinically meaningful opportunity. By combining proprietary kidney-tropic LNPs with their AI-driven Epic-Cure™ platform, Helex is building a pipeline with the potential to transform outcomes for millions of patients with genetic kidney diseases. This is the kind of company we back at SOSV—bold, mission-driven, and capable of shaping the future of medicine.”
Stephen Chambers, General Partner, SOSV, and Managing Director, IndieBio
