Nocion Therapeutics has secured $62m in a Series B financing round to advance its lead programme, Taplucanium dry powder for inhalation, into later-stage development for treating chronic cough.

Arkin Bio Capital and Monograph Capital led the funding round with contributions from new and current investors, including Canaan Partners, Mass General Brigham Ventures, F-Prime Capital, Mission BioCapital and Osage University Partners.

The funding will support the evaluation of Taplucanium in a Phase IIb clinical trial.

Nocion has now secured total funding of $122m since its inception in 2018.

Pini Orbach from Arkin Bio Capital and Freddie Dear from Monograph Capital will join the board of directors of Nocion.

Taplucanium, part of a new class of permanently charged sodium channel blockers, has been developed by Nocion to mute activated nociceptors.

These nociceptors are implicated in serious conditions related to cough, itch and pain.

The molecule is designed to target activated or inflamed nociceptors with minimal off-target effects or systemic exposure.

Its mechanism allows the asset to access the nociceptor through any open large pore channel where it inhibits the sodium channels that trigger the pathological cough response.

Preclinical models have demonstrated substantial antitussive effects of Taplucanium, and initial safety and efficacy findings from early-stage trials suggest it could be effective for other cough indications besides chronic cough.

Nocion CEO Dr Richard Batycky stated: “We are grateful to our new and existing investors for their commitment to our lead programme in this challenging disease.

“This financing will enable us to evaluate Taplucanium in patients suffering from chronic cough. We will also be able to conduct additional toxicology and product development activities to be ready for Phase III clinical trials.”