Based out of Vancouver, CereCura Nanotherapeutics was founded by neuroscientists Louis-Philippe Bernier and Nicholas Weilinger alongside Brian MacVicar, Peter Cullis, and Richard Howlett in June of 2022 with an aim to improve healthcare using lipid nanoparticles, ribonucleic acid, and technological innovation.

Specifically, CereCura is pioneering a new nanomedicine modality to treat currently intractable brain diseases.

Next-generation RNA therapeutics can address the challenges of neurological diseases, the founding team believes. CeraCura’s products are lipid nanoparticle-based messenger RNA therapies, targeting brain diseases including chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s and ALS, acute conditions such as stroke and brain injury, and even brain cancers.

The biotech startup launched from the University of British Columbia’s Human Health Venture Studio, which was established in 2021. The firm was a member of UBC’s Lab2Launch venture-building stream, which targets researchers and scientists focused on the development of technological innovation that is proprietary and difficult to reproduce, propelling them through venture creation, investment, and growth.

Since then, CereCura has graduated from the Creative Destruction Labs Advanced Therapies Global cohort and won the Impact Award at the Effervescence Montreal Pitch Competition.

The start has also raised $2.7 million in total, comprised of an $800,000 pre-seed round and $1.9 million in non-dilutive grants.

Moving forward, CereCura is focused on generating data to demonstrate the efficacy of its therapeutic products in animal models, as well as expanding their team and network of strategic partners.