Serina secures additional $5 million for Parkinson’s trial

HUNTSVILLE - Serina Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: SER), a biotech firm specializing in drug optimization technology, has completed the second tranche of its $10 million equity financing, securing an additional $5 million from JuvVentures (UK) Limited. According to InvestingPro data, this financing comes at a crucial time as the company faces significant cash burn and weak financial health metrics, with an overall Financial Health Score of 1.32 (labeled as WEAK). This investment will fund the advancement of SER-252, Serina’s investigational therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease, into Phase 1 clinical trials slated for the latter half of 2025.

The transaction, which follows the first $5 million tranche received on December 2, 2024, saw Serina issuing 500,000 shares of common stock at $10 per share, a 113% premium over the January 31, 2025 closing price. Additionally, JuvVentures received warrants for 755,728 shares at an $18.00 exercise price. The stock has experienced significant pressure, with InvestingPro showing a -68.4% return over the past year. Based on InvestingPro’s Fair Value analysis, the stock appears slightly overvalued at current levels.

Steve Ledger, CEO of Serina Therapeutics, highlighted the significance of this funding: "This financing strengthens our cash position as we advance SER-252 into the clinic. With a differentiated approach to continuous dopaminergic stimulation and an innovative drug delivery system, we believe SER-252 has the potential to provide meaningful benefits for patients with Advanced Parkinson’s disease."

SER-252 utilizes Serina’s proprietary POZ Platform™ and Enable Injections’ enFuse™ wearable drug delivery system to offer continuous dopaminergic stimulation (CDS), which is expected to mitigate motor complications and fluctuating responses associated with standard Parkinson’s treatments.

The POZ Platform™ employs a synthetic polymer to enhance drug delivery, aiming to optimize the efficacy and safety profiles of various therapeutic modalities, including small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics.

Serina’s strategy involves advancing additional applications of the POZ platform through partnerships and licensing, as evidenced by their agreement with Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Inc. for non-exclusive use of the POZ technology in lipid nanoparticle drug delivery formulations.

Details of the transaction have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and can be found in Serina’s Form 8-K filing. Serina, based in Huntsville, Alabama, is developing a pipeline of drug candidates for neurological diseases and other indications. With a current market capitalization of $46.11 million and a concerning current ratio of 0.4, InvestingPro analysis reveals several additional risk factors and growth opportunities. Subscribers can access 6 more ProTips and detailed financial metrics to better understand the company’s potential.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could affect Serina’s clinical development and future prospects. The company cautions that actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Serina has not committed to updating such statements in light of new information or future events. This article is based on a press release statement from Serina Therapeutics.

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