Helex Raises $3.5 Million to Develop Gene Therapies for Kidney Diseases
- Secures $3.5 million in seed funding led by pi Ventures.
- Funds to accelerate lead therapy for genetic kidney disease ADPKD.
- Uses AI-driven platform and LNP technology for targeted treatments.
Therapeutics startup Helex has raised $3.5 million in seed funding led by pi Ventures, with participation from Bluehill Capital, SOSV, and a global network of investors. The round takes Helex’s total funding to over $6 million. The fresh capital will be used to fast-track its lead candidate for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) and expand its AI-enabled kidney therapeutics platform.
Founded in 2021 by Poulami Chaudhuri, Rohini Kalvakuntla, and Anirudh Nishtala, Helex is pioneering a new class of targeted medicines for genetic kidney disorders. The company leverages its proprietary lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery system and AI-based drug design to create precise, non-viral therapies that can deliver genetic payloads directly to kidney cells.
Incubated at ASPIRE-BioNEST, University of Hyderabad, Helex aims to transform treatment for chronic and rare kidney diseases by offering programmable, single-dose gene-editing solutions. Its platform integrates deep learning models with proprietary genomics and bioinformatics data, enabling the design and validation of disease-specific guide RNAs (gRNA) for effective treatment.
Also Read: Wonderland Foods Raises Rs 140 Crore to Scale Healthy Snacking Business
The company’s lead therapy targets ADPKD, an inherited disorder that affects over 12 million people globally and accounts for about 5% of chronic kidney disease (CKD) cases in India. Helex’s goal is to develop a non-viral, gene-editing therapy capable of halting or significantly slowing disease progression.
