Imara raises $63 million for tilt at sickle cell disease

Boston, USA-based biopharma Imara has closed an oversubscribed $63 million Series B cross-over financing.

Imara is developing IMR-687, an orally-administered, highly potent and selective phosphodiesterase 9 inhibitor developed to treat the underlying causes of the pathology of sickle cell disease (SCD).

"This is a transformative financing for Imara"IMR-687 is said to be different to other therapies in development by its dual action on both red and white blood cells. A Phase I study in healthy volunteers has been carried out successfully and the drug is now being tested in a global Phase IIa study in adult SCD patients.