What NONO does

NoNO Inc. is a privately-held, clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2003 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company is developing a portfolio of first-in-class peptide therapeutics based on a proprietary Postsynaptic Density Protein 95 (PSD-95) inhibitor platform, with the lead asset nerinetide (NA-1) currently in global Phase 3 trials for acute ischemic stroke patients not receiving thrombolytic drugs. The technology targets protein-protein interactions between NMDA glutamate receptors and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), aiming to prevent excitotoxic neuronal damage during the acute injury phase while promoting neural plasticity in the recovery phase, with a therapeutic window extending up to 12 hours post-stroke. Beyond the lead IV compound, the pipeline includes NoNO-42 (a next-generation protease-resistant PSD-95 inhibitor in Phase 1, designed to be delivered via the StrokePen autoinjector and compatible with alteplase) and NoNO-SC (a subcutaneous formulation targeting subacute and chronic neurological indications including stroke recovery, vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and retinal ischemia).

The company operates with a lean team of 11-50 employees and runs global clinical trials across 48 sites in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Scientific leadership is anchored by founder, President, and CEO Dr. Michael Tymianski (Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Translational Stroke Research, Order of Canada), supported by co-founder Dr. Michael W. Salter and a bench of regulatory and clinical operations executives recruited from Sanofi Pasteur, UCSF, and Medicago. The intellectual property portfolio comprises more than 300 granted patents globally protecting the PSD-95 inhibitor platform, and the underlying science has been validated through peer-reviewed publications in The Lancet and Science Translational Medicine, with ESCAPE-NA1 Phase 3 results demonstrating a 19.6% improvement in functional independence, 22% reduction in infarct volume, and 40% mortality reduction in stroke patients not previously treated with alteplase.

The business model is biopharmaceutical product sales upon regulatory approval: upon commercialization, nerinetide will be administered intravenously in hospital settings to acute ischemic stroke patients selected for endovascular thrombectomy, with future expansion through the StrokePen autoinjector and subcutaneous NoNO-SC formulations enabling pre-hospital and non-medical-setting administration. No commercial pricing has been disclosed because no product is currently approved. The company is funded primarily through equity capital (most recently a $9.78 million round in May 2013), government grants, and undisclosed financings, with strategic academic partnerships with the University of Toronto, University of Calgary, the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, and the University of British Columbia providing preclinical and clinical research infrastructure.

Name

NONO

Legal name

NoNO Inc.

Website

https://nonoinc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NoNO Inc. is a Toronto-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class PSD-95 inhibitor peptide therapeutics, led by nerinetide in Phase 3 trials, for treating acute ischemic stroke and other neurological disorders in hospital and pre-hospital settings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-stage Biopharmaceuticals (Stroke Therapeutics)

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC), Stroke & Vascular Neurology (HLAKAIAG)

Keywords

• Stroke therapeutics
• Neuroprotective drugs
• PSD-95 inhibitors
• Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals
• Acute ischemic stroke treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Upon regulatory approval, NoNO will generate revenue through the sale of proprietary neuroprotective drugs (nerinetide, NoNO-42, NoNO-SC) to hospitals, healthcare systems, and pharmacies for treatment of acute ischemic stroke and other neurological conditions. Revenue will be generated from product sales as a biopharmaceutical company commercializing novel therapeutics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NoNO Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a portfolio of first-in-class PSD-95 inhibitor therapeutics for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke and other central nervous system disorders. The lead compound nerinetide is in global Phase 3 trials for intravenous administration to stroke patients not previously treated with clot-dissolving drugs, while next-generation compounds (NoNO-42/StrokePen and NoNO-SC) extend applicability to all stroke patients and chronic neurological conditions.

Product overview

NoNO Inc. is a clinical-stage Ontario biotechnology company developing a portfolio of PSD-95 inhibitor therapeutics for stroke and other CNS disorders. The product pipeline consists of three core compounds: Nerinetide (Phase 3, IV administration for acute ischemic stroke in patients not receiving thrombolytics), NoNO-42/StroKePen (Phase 1, designed for use with or without thrombolytics), and NoNO-SC (preclinical/subcutaneous formulation for chronic neurological conditions). The platform centers on PSD-95 inhibition to protect neurons from excitotoxic damage and promote neural plasticity for functional recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nerinetide A first-in-class 20 amino acid peptide inhibitor of PSD-95 (postsynaptic density protein 95) for intravenous infusion to improve outcomes in acute ischemic stroke. Currently completing global Phase 3 ESCAPE-NEXT trial for patients not previously treated with clot-dissolving drugs (thrombolytics). Demonstrated 19.6% improvement in functional independence, 22% reduction in infarct volume, and 40% mortality reduction in ESCAPE-NA1 trial patients not receiving alteplase.
• NoNO-42 (StrokePen) Next-generation protease-resistant PSD-95 inhibitor in Phase 1 clinical trials, designed to be administered with or without thrombolytic agents. Intended for use in all acute ischemic stroke patients. Being developed for delivery via autoinjector (StrokePen) for administration by any caregiver at home, en route to hospital, or upon arrival in emergency department.
• NoNO-SC

Quantifiable outcome

• 19.6% improvement in functional independence at 90 days (59.4% vs 49.8% placebo) in patients not receiving alteplase
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Michael Tymianski serves as Professor of Surgery and Physiology at University of Toronto. The company maintains unique access to academic preclinical and clinical research teams through this relationship. The institution supports Canada's Research Chair (Tier 1) in Translational Stroke Research held by Dr. Tymianski.
• University of CalgarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Michael Hill serves as Global Principal Investigator for ESCAPE-NEXT and ESCAPE-NA1 trials, Professor of Neurology at Cumming School of Medicine. The university coordinates global clinical trial operations.
• Hospital for Sick Children Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Michael W. Salter (co-founder) serves as Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute and holds the Northbridge Chair in Pediatric Research.
• University of British ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Yu-Tian Wang serves as professor in the Department of Medicine and Brain Research Centre at UBC, which holds the Heart and Stroke Foundation Chair in Stroke Research.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Biogen: Biogen is a large CNS-focused biopharma with extensive neurology commercial infrastructure and a pipeline including Alzheimer's therapies (e.g., lecanemab). Comparable as a broad incumbent in neurology/CNS that could pursue partnership, licensing, or competitive threats in NoNO's expanding indication footprint.
• Medtronic: Medtronic's Neurovascular division manufactures stent retrievers and other endovascular thrombectomy devices used in the patients NoNO targets with nerinetide. Comparable as a dominant incumbent in the mechanical thrombectomy arm of acute stroke care.
• Penumbra: Penumbra develops and markets aspiration-based thrombectomy systems for acute ischemic stroke, directly competing in the endovascular thrombectomy procedure population NoNO's nerinetide is administered alongside. Comparable as a US-listed specialty device incumbent in the same procedural setting.
• Stryker (Neurovascular): Stryker's Neurovascular division (acquired with Cerenovus) makes stent retrievers and other devices for mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke. Comparable as a large incumbent serving the same procedural patient population as NoNO's lead compound.
• Genentech (Roche): Genentech/Roche markets Activase (alteplase), the leading thrombolytic for acute ischemic stroke and the standard of care that NoNO's neuroprotective aims to complement. Comparable as the incumbent in the broader acute ischemic stroke treatment paradigm NoNO is targeting.
• Boehringer Ingelheim: Boehringer Ingelheim markets Actilyse (alteplase) outside the US and has deep CNS/cardiovascular commercial infrastructure. Comparable as a global incumbent whose standard-of-care thrombolytic franchise defines the market NoNO is seeking to expand with adjunctive neuroprotection.

Direct peers

• ReNeuron: ReNeuron develops CTX stem cell therapy for stroke disability and other CNS conditions. Similar to NoNO, it is a clinical-stage biotech focused on neurorestoration in chronic stroke recovery, addressing overlapping patient populations and pursuing similar regulatory pathways.
• ZZ Biotech: ZZ Biotech is developing 3K3A-APC, a recombinant protein neuroprotective for ischemic stroke. Like NoNO, it targets excitotoxic/inflammatory neuronal damage pathways and has completed Phase 2 trials, making it a direct head-to-head peer in the acute neuroprotective space.
• Athersys: Athersys developed MultiStem cell therapy for ischemic stroke, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine approach directly competing with NoNO's PSD-95 platform. Both target neuroprotection/recovery in acute stroke populations and have run global Phase 2/3 trials with similar regulatory and commercial challenges.

Emerging players

• SanBio: SanBio is developing regenerative cell therapies (SB623) for chronic stroke disability and traumatic brain injury. Comparable as a clinical-stage emerging player addressing post-stroke functional recovery, overlapping with NoNO-SC's chronic-condition positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nono-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 NONO