Notify Therapeutics secures €5M to develop novel hormone-free fertility treatment for women

Copenhagen-based Notify Therapeutics, a “first-in-class” female fertility treatment, announced that it has secured €5M in a fresh round of funding.

Notify Therapeutics, an initiative stemming from Professor Karin Lykke-Hartmann’s research on female infertility, aims to address the lack of innovation in this field despite increasing patient needs. Their primary objective is to develop a hormone-free fertility treatment.

Investors in this round

Lundbeckfonden BioCapital and +ND Capital have jointly invested in the Danish company. 

The two investors are already partners on the Danish biotech scene, and this new investment underlines Lundbeckfonden BioCapital’s long standing commitment to Danish science and the local biotech ecosystem.

Jacob Falck Hansen, Partner at Lundbeckfonden BioCapital says, “Notify and Karin Lykke-Hartmann stand for top-quality research in an area with a large unmet need. More than one in ten couples seek help to have children. Unfortunately, many are unsuccessful despite today’s treatment options.”

“The investment also entails an active operational and strategic commitment on our part. We will work with the Notify team to develop a treatment that can bring new hope to families,” adds Hansen.

With the investment, Jacob Falck Hansen, Lundbeckfonden BioCapital and Klaus Dugi, +ND Capital join Notify’s board.

Klaus Dugi says, “Reduced ovarian function and subsequent infertility is one of the earliest conditions associated with ageing. At +ND Capital we would be delighted to help women build families and to enjoy life to the fullest.”

“Novel treatment paradigm for infertile women”

Founded in 2021, Notify Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on infertility solutions. It is working on a non-hormonal fertility treatment for women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).

According to the company, this approach has the potential to revolutionise fertility treatments and improve outcomes for individuals and couples dealing with infertility.

The company’s “first-in-class” drug induces factors that regulate the NRF2 pathway, a crucial driver of follicle activation and growth in response to external signals. With a focus on efficiency, safety, and patient well-being, Notify aims to transform the lives of people struggling with infertility.

Karin Lykke-Hartmann, CEO of Notify and a Professor of Reproductive Medicine at Aarhus University says, “Our genetic studies have identified a previously unknown role played by the NRF2 protein in the maturation process of eggs in the ovaries. 

“In early experiments, we activated NRF2 in mice and in ovarian tissue from women with DOR, which stimulated egg maturation. In the rodent study, this significantly increased the number of successful pregnancies,” she adds. 

“We know that the number of mature eggs determines the success rate of fertility treatment, and we hope to develop a treatment that can improve – or even replace – standard hormone treatment and thereby increase chances of conceiving,” she further explains. 

Lykke-Hartmann adds that this new seed investment gives them the necessary resources to pick the best-suited molecule that can then enter clinical phases.

Capital utilisation

According to Lykke-Hartmann, the funding will help develop solutions for infertility, with a focus on addressing the hormone-independent phase of ovarian follicle development.

Lykke-Hartmann adds, “We are delighted to have two new strong partners on board who can help accelerate our research into a new hormone-free fertility treatment, which might help women who don’t have the wanted effect of current hormonal treatments.”

Brief about the investors

Founded in 2002, +ND Capital is a VC firm with a significant presence in the US and Europe. It specialises in investing in technologies across various scientific domains, including life sciences, physical sciences, and data sciences. 

Managing close to $1B in assets, the firm facilitates connections for its portfolio companies across the Atlantic, assisting them in accessing capital, talent, and business partnerships through their teams in Silicon Valley and Switzerland.

Lundbeckfonden BioCapital is a Danish biotech investor that has backed 19 companies, both domestic and international, totaling over DKK 2B. The firm’s vision includes doubling the number of Danish companies in their portfolio by 2030. 

Its primary focus is on supporting Danish-based biotech firms and the local ecosystem to advance scientific discoveries for the benefit of patients worldwide.