Summary: Mosanna Therapeutics raised $80 million in Series A funding to advance its nasal spray treatment for OSA into phase 2 trials and expand its pipeline; the spray, MOS118, targets upper airway reflexes to restore natural breathing during sleep. Biotech veteran David Weber, PhD, was appointed CEO to lead the next stage of growth.
Key takeaways:
- Mosanna Therapeutics closed an $80 million Series A round to advance its OSA nasal spray, MOS118, into phase 2 trials and grow its therapeutic pipeline.
- MOS118 is a pan-K+ channel inhibitor delivered via nasal spray, designed to restore natural airway reflexes during sleep by activating pressure-sensing nerves in the nasopharynx.
- The treatment signals a shift from mechanical to neuromuscular approaches in managing OSA.
- David Weber, PhD, a seasoned biotech executive, was appointed CEO to lead Mosanna’s next phase.
New funding at Mosanna Therapeutics will support the advancement of the company’s nasal spray for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) through phase 2 trials and support the expansion of the biotech company’s pipeline.
The recently closed $80 million in Series A funding was led by Pivotal bioVenture Partners and EQT Life Sciences, along with Forbion, Broadview Ventures and Norwest as co-lead investors. Returning investors included founding investor Forty51 Ventures, as well as Supermoon Capital and High-Tech Gründerfonds.
Mosanna is developing MOS118, a nighttime nasal spray to treat OSA that will help restore the body’s natural airway control. MOS-118 is a small molecule pan-K+ channel inhibitor that has been shown to activate pressure-sensing nerves in the nasopharynx—increasing upper airway muscle tone and reducing apnea and hypopnea episodes.
Research has shown that, for reasons yet unknown, the natural airway reflex in OSA patients exhibits decreased activity during sleep, resulting in loss of airway patency and apnea. MOS118 targets the upper airway muscles that are responsible for maintaining airway patency.
Mosanna also appointed David Weber, PhD, as president and CEO to guide Mosanna’s next stage of growth. With more than 30 years of experience spanning drug development, capital formation, and corporate strategy, Weber has led teams across both public and private life sciences companies. Weber was also appointed to Mosanna’s board of directors.
“What sets Mosanna apart is its fundamentally different approach to sleep apnea, treating it as a neurological and muscular dysfunction rather than a purely mechanical issue,” says Daniela Begolo, PhD, managing director with EQT Life Sciences, in a release. “MOS118 is the first therapy with the potential to restore the body’s natural airway reflex with the simplicity of a nasal spray. MOS118 has the potential to dramatically improve adherence and outcomes in a patient population that has long been underserved.”
“With his deep expertise in biotech innovation and patient-centric therapies, Dr Weber was the ideal choice to lead Mosanna into the next chapter,” said Jeni Lee, PhD, partner with Pivotal bioVenture Partners, in a release. “We look forward to partnering with him and the Mosanna team to deliver on the promise of this life-changing sleep apnea treatment.”
“Mosanna is taking a truly transformational approach to sleep apnea treatmentoff—offering a non-invasive, non-mechanical solution designed to seamlessly fit into daily life,” says Weber in a release. “No one has sleep apnea while awake, because our bodies instinctively keep the airway open. Mosanna simply helps to restore this natural reflex during sleep – delivering a nasal spray alternative to invasive mechanical workarounds. With this funding, we’re accelerating development to bring this groundbreaking treatment to patients who desperately need better options.”
With this funding, Begolo and Lee joined the board of directors alongside Dmitrij Hristodorov, PhD, general partner at Forbion; Hewmun Lau, MBA, principal at Broadview Ventures; and Tiba Aynechi, PhD, general partner at Norwest. They join existing board directors Sascha Oliver Bucher, MBA, CEFA, co-founder and Partner at Forty51 Ventures; and veteran biotech CEO Ben Machielse, who also serves as board chair.
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