Name

Nocion Therapeutics

Legal name

Nocion Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://nociontx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chronic Cough Therapeutics

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Respiratory & Allergy Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pulmonology & Allergy Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAF)

Keywords

• Chronic cough therapeutics
• Charged sodium channel blockers
• Sensory neuron modulators
• Inhaled dry powder drugs
• Neurogenic inflammation treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Pre-revenue clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Revenue expected from commercialization of taplucainium and other nocion-based therapeutics for chronic cough, pain, itch, and neurogenic inflammation conditions upon regulatory approval.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Nocion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a proprietary class of small molecule charged sodium channel blockers ("nocions") designed to selectively silence activated sensory neurons that drive chronic cough, pain, itch, and neurogenic inflammation. Its lead product, taplucainium (formerly NTX-1175), is a first-in-class inhaled dry powder formulation currently in Phase 2b development (ASPIRE study) for refractory and unexplained chronic cough. The company is leveraging the same Nocion platform to advance additional pipeline programs in dermatology, pain, gastrointestinal disorders, women's health, oncology, and ocular disease.

Product overview

Nocion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a platform of novel small molecule charged sodium channel blockers called 'nocions' that selectively silence activated sensory neurons. The company's lead product is taplucainium (formerly NTX-1175), an inhaled dry powder for chronic cough currently in Phase 2b clinical development. The Nocion platform enables multiple proprietary molecules optimized for different tissues and delivery routes, supporting a pipeline of programs spanning cough, dermatological conditions (NTX-2009), pain, gastrointestinal disorders, women's health, oncology, and ocular diseases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taplucainium (formerly NTX-1175) First-in-class inhaled dry powder formulation of a charged sodium channel blocker (nocion) designed to selectively silence activated airway nociceptors for the treatment of refractory and unexplained chronic cough in adults. Delivered once daily via dry powder inhaler, with rapid onset of cough reduction within 15 minutes and up to 24 hours of symptom relief.
• Nocion Platform (Nocions™) Proprietary class of small molecule charged sodium channel blockers (CSCBs) designed to selectively silence activated sensory neurons (nociceptors) that drive cough, pain, itch, and neurogenic inflammation. The platform enables multiple molecules optimized for different tissues and delivery routes (inhaled, topical, oral, injection, ocular), supporting Nocion's broader pipeline across dermatology, pain, GI, women's health, oncology, and ocular indications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% reduction in awake cough frequency observed within 15 minutes after first dose in Phase 2a study
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Harvard Office of Technology DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2019Exclusive license to foundational intellectual property from Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital. IP developed by founders Bruce Bean, Clifford Woolf, and Bruce Levy at Harvard Medical School and affiliated hospitals.
• Boston Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2019Co-licensor of foundational intellectual property with Harvard OTDB. Technology Development Fund supported initial research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Merck & Co. Acquired Afferent Pharmaceuticals and developed gefapixant (P2X3 antagonist) for chronic cough. Discontinued U.S. filing but remains a major respiratory incumbent with potential re-entry, posing both competitive and partnership risk.
• Verona Pharma: Late-stage respiratory biopharma (ensifentrine for COPD) with overlapping inhaled-therapeutics expertise and pulmonology-focused commercial footprint. Adjacent rather than direct competitor, but comparable go-to-market motion.
• AstraZeneca: Major respiratory franchise (Fasenra, Symbicort, Trixeo) with established pulmonology commercial infrastructure. Potential acquirer/partner for taplucainium given strategic fit with chronic cough and broader respiratory portfolio.
• GSK: Major respiratory franchise holder post-Bellus Health acquisition, with established commercial reach in pulmonology. Represents both the most likely large-cap acquirer of Nocion and the primary competitive threat to taplucainium.

Emerging players

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Develops selective sodium channel blockers (e.g., VX-548 / suzetrigine for acute pain) — closest large-cap analog to Nocion's charged sodium channel blocker approach. Differentiated by indication (pain vs. cough) but mechanistically comparable.
• Mereo BioPharma: Clinical-stage biopharma with respiratory and rare disease programs, including work in chronic cough and lung diseases. Similar stage and therapeutic focus, comparable platform-leverage model.
• Pulmatrix: Inhaled respiratory therapeutics company; Nocion CEO Richard Batycky currently serves on Pulmatrix's board. Closely linked respiratory-focused specialty pharma with overlapping inhaled drug delivery expertise.

Direct peers

• Bellus Health (acquired by GSK): Most direct competitor in refractory chronic cough, developing camlipixant (P2X3 antagonist). Acquired by GSK for ~$2B; same indication, overlapping KOL and clinical operations talent pool (including Joan Shaw, now at Nocion).
• NeRRe Therapeutics (acquired by GSK): Developed neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists for chronic cough; acquired by GSK in 2020. Direct competitor in the refractory chronic cough space and part of GSK's growing cough franchise.

Regional players

• Shionogi: Japanese pharma developing P2X3 antagonists (e.g., sivopixant) for chronic cough in Asia. Comparable mechanism and indication, but primarily competing in Japan/Asia rather than U.S./EU.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nociontx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nocion-therapeutics-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nocion Therapeutics