Introducing Serenatis Bio: Transforming the OCD therapeutics landscape
We are excited to share that Zinc has led the pre-seed investment into Serenatis Bio, a pioneering biotech company on a mission to transform the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the most debilitating and under-treated mental health conditions worldwide. At Zinc, we back world-class founders tackling overlooked but urgent health problems. Serenatis Bio embodies this mission with conviction, compassion, and cutting-edge science. The funding round is joined by p53, Novaterra and Watson Family Office, and Angel investors.
Tackling a global mental health crisis
OCD affects over 240 million people globally (3% of the population), yet treatment options remain frustratingly outdated. No new drugs have been brought to market since the 1990s. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the current therapeutic standard, often don’t work or take months to show any effect, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), while helpful, is difficult to access and has high dropout rates. The world urgently needs more accessible, faster-acting, and more effective solutions to this debilitating condition.
Serenatis Bio is stepping into this gap with ambition and scientific rigour, developing three novel small-molecule drugs, each with a unique, patient-relevant mechanism of action, targeting the root causes of OCD.
Neuroscience has advanced rapidly in recent years, unlocking new understanding of brain circuits and neurotransmitter systems linked to OCD. The Serenatis Bio team is harnessing these insights, and combining them with precision biomarkers such as electroencephalography signatures, conversational AI and genetic profiles, to bring targeted, faster-acting therapies to patients.
Meet the founders
Nick Sireau, CEO and Co-founder of Serenatis Bio, has built a career solving hard medical problems. An OCD patient advocate, medical charity founder, and accomplished biotech leader, Nick previously led successful clinical trials and regulatory approval for alkaptonuria, a rare disease affecting two of his children, which was once thought untreatable. Tackling OCD is a deeply personal journey for Nick: his lived experience of OCD and the tragic loss of a close friend to OCD fuel his determination to drive change.
Co-founder Dr. David Cavalla brings over 35 years of pharma expertise and a track record of bringing multiple drugs through Phase 2 trials. They are joined by a world-class advisory board including Prof. Jon Grant (University of Chicago), Prof. Trevor Robbins (University of Cambridge), and Ekaterina Malievskaia (co-founder of Compass Pathways), ensuring Serenatis Bio is uniquely positioned at the intersection of neuroscience and psychiatric drug development.
“I know from personal experience how devastating OCD can be, yet existing treatments are decades old, often don’t work, and come with considerable side effects. That’s why we set up Serenatis Bio; to develop potentially fast-acting medications based on the latest neuroscience into this misunderstood yet too often catastrophic mental illness. We are proud to have an excellent team of investors backing us in this mission.”
— Nick Sireau, CEO and Co-founder, Serenatis Bio
The opportunity for impact
The economic burden of OCD in the UK alone is estimated at £10.7 billion, reflecting not only healthcare costs but also lost productivity and diminished quality of life. By developing more effective treatments, Serenatis Bio has the potential to significantly alleviate this burden and improve the lives of millions globally.
Having closed their pre-seed round, the team is now advancing all three compounds through preclinical studies with the goal of accelerating one asset to the clinic. With interest already from major pharmaceutical companies and a strong IP position, they are building for scale from day one.
Why we partnering with Serenatis Bio
At Zinc, we seek out founders with unwavering purpose and the ability to combine vision and integrity with execution. Serenatis Bio ticks every box. They are addressing a huge, underserved market where patients are desperate for new alternatives. It’s a field where the science is ready but under-leveraged.
We’re proud to be supporting the Serenatis team as they build a new future for OCD treatment, one that offers hope, dignity, and the opportunity for real change to millions of people.
If you’re a researcher, investor, or partner who shares this mission, you can learn more and connect with the team at serenatisbio.com.
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