Biotech firm Mironid raises £34.1m to take ADPKD candidate into clinic
This article covers Mironid, a Glasgow-based biotech startup, which has raised £34.1m in a series B funding round to advance its lead small-molecule programme into clinical development for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). The funding will finance clinical development of Mironid’s LoAc candidates, targeting a defined molecular driver of cyst growth and supporting efforts to develop disease-modifying treatments for patients with ADPKD while advancing the UK biotech translational pipeline.
Mironid, a Glasgow-based biotech startup, has raised £34.1m in a series B funding round to push its lead small-molecule programme into clinical development for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). The cash will finance the next development steps for Mironid’s LoAc candidates, which target a well‑defined molecular driver of cyst growth in the kidney — a move that could reshape treatment options for a common hereditary kidney disorder with limited therapies.
Why it matters
ADPKD is the most common hereditary kidney disorder and a leading cause of inherited kidney failure. Roughly half of patients develop kidney failure by about age 60, leaving a substantial unmet need for disease-modifying treatments rather than supportive care or dialysis.
Mironid’s approach aims at a central signalling pathway implicated across disease stages. If clinical results mirror preclinical findings, the therapy could slow or halt cyst formation and growth, potentially delaying or preventing progression to kidney failure. That would be significant for patients and for health systems facing the long-term costs of chronic renal replacement therapy.
Inside the product
Mironid develops small-molecule LoAc compounds designed to modulate cyclic AMP (cAMP) signalling in kidney tissue. Elevated cAMP is implicated in both the initiation and progression of cyst formation in ADPKD by promoting cell proliferation and fluid secretion into cysts.
Preclinical data cited by the company show reductions in cyst number and overall kidney volume, along with a favourable safety profile across measured endpoints. The company frames LoAc as a first-in-class oral agent that could both prevent new cyst formation and arrest growth of existing cysts, which — if confirmed in humans — would mark a different mechanism of action compared with existing licensed options.
Who are the investors?
The round was supported by a new investor, the Scottish National Investment Bank, alongside existing backers including Roche Venture Fund, Epidarex Capital, Sofinnova Partners, BioGeneration Ventures and the University of Strathclyde. The European Investment Fund is also listed among past supporters of Mironid.
The funding is earmarked to advance the clinical development of Mironid’s LoAc lead candidate in ADPKD and to de‑risk the programme for later-stage partners or larger investors.
In the announcement, Paul Callaghan, Investment Director, Scottish National Investment Bank, said:
Our investment in Mironid reflects our commitment to backing impactful Scottish businesses with high-growth potential. Mironid exemplifies Scotland’s growing reputation for biotech innovation, developing a new treatment approach that could improve options for people living with kidney disease. We are pleased to join a committed group of investors to support the company through this critical stage of development, helping it translate world-class research into clinical progress, commercial opportunity and potential patient benefit.
Brief context on the investor line-up: Roche Venture Fund brings corporate pharma channel expertise; Sofinnova Partners and BioGeneration Ventures are established European life-sciences investors; Epidarex has a track record in early-stage biotech deals often linked to UK academic spinouts; the University of Strathclyde’s involvement reflects the academic translation pathway that supported Mironid’s formation. The mix of public, corporate and specialist life-science investors is typical for rounds aiming to move programmes from preclinical to clinical stages.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Neil Wilkie, Chief Executive Officer at Mironid, said:
ADPKD is the most common hereditary kidney disorder, affecting over 12 million people worldwide, with 50% of patients developing kidney failure by the age of 60. Securing funding from such a high-caliber syndicate is a strong validator of our approach to treating kidney diseases such as ADPKD. This financing will allow us to progress the clinical development of our lead candidate, bringing us closer to transforming the treatment landscape for patients with rare kidney diseases.
Wilkie framed the round as validation of Mironid’s translational strategy and as the financial runway needed to initiate clinical studies required to demonstrate target engagement, safety and early efficacy signals.
The bigger picture
The round illustrates continued investor appetite for UK and European biotech projects that address rare or genetically defined diseases with clear molecular targets. Public and semi-public entities such as the Scottish National Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund are increasingly present in financings that aim to bridge the so-called valley of death between academic discovery and clinical proof of concept.
For the UK ecosystem, Mironid’s raise is another example of Scottish life-science activity maturing into clinical-stage programmes. If clinical trials validate the preclinical promise of cAMP modulation in ADPKD, the programme could attract partnerships with larger pharmaceutical groups and add momentum to the translational pipeline emerging from UK universities and spinouts.
They've invested in Mironid
Get to know these biotech investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 Roche Venture Fund( ) Basel, Switzerland  | Series BGrowth | |||
 Epidarex Capital( ) Epidarex is a transatlantic venture capital firm focusing on early-stage investm... Edinburgh  | ||||
 Sofinnova Partners( ) Sofinnova Partners, established in 1972, manages over €4 billion and has backed ... Paris, France  | Series BGrowth | |||
 BioGeneration Ventures( ) | Series BGrowth | |||
 European Investment Fund (EIF)( ) Luxembourg, Luxembourg | MironidClaret Capital | Series BGrowth | ||
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