This Glasgow Biotech Just Raised $46M to Tackle a Silent Kidney Disease

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-07

A lesser-known Scottish biotech just locked in a serious chunk of change to take on one of the most common inherited kidney disorders out there. Mironid, based in Glasgow, has closed a $46 million Series B round to push its lead drug candidate for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) through clinical development. If you haven't heard of ADPKD, you're not alone. But it affects more than 12 million people worldwide, and here's the sobering stat: half of those patients will develop kidney failure by age 60. That's a huge unmet need, and Mironid thinks it has a shot at changing the game. ### Who's backing this bet? The round was led by the Scottish National Investment Bank, with a syndicate of existing backers that reads like a who's who of biotech venture capital: Roche Venture Fund, Epidarex Capital, Sofinnova Partners, BioGeneration Ventures, and the University of Strathclyde. That's not just money—it's validation from people who know what they're doing. Neil Wilkie, Mironid's CEO, didn't mince words about what this means. "Securing funding from such a high-calibre syndicate is a strong validator of our approach," he said. "This financing will allow us to progress the clinical development of our lead candidate, bringing us closer to transforming the treatment landscape for patients with rare kidney diseases." ### The science behind the story Mironid spun out of the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University back in 2015, building on over three decades of research into PDE biology by Professor Miles Houslay. The company's focus is on degenerative and rare genetic kidney diseases, along with major inflammatory conditions and cancer. The lead candidate is what they call a LoAc small molecule, designed to directly target cyclic AMP (cAMP)—a cellular signal that's active at every stage of ADPKD, from initiation all the way to end-stage disease. That's important because cAMP drives both the proliferation of cells and the secretion of fluid inside the cysts that wreck kidney function. Preclinical data so far shows significant efficacy and a favorable safety profile, including reductions in cyst number and kidney volume. The idea is to prevent new cysts from forming and stop existing ones from growing, potentially offering a more durable treatment with a better side-effect profile than what's currently on the market. ### Why this matters beyond the headlines Here's the thing about ADPKD: it's caused predominantly by mutations in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes, leading to uncontrolled growth of fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys. For many patients, that eventually means kidney failure and dialysis or a transplant. The current treatment options are limited, so a new mechanism of action is genuinely exciting. Beyond ADPKD, Mironid's pipeline also targets phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzymes, which play a key role in cell signaling pathways tied to disease progression. The company runs a research-and-development-led model, funded through venture capital and strategic investment, with the long-term goal of pushing its programs through preclinical and clinical trials toward commercialization. Paul Callaghan, Investment Director at the Scottish National Investment Bank, put it well: "Mironid exemplifies Scotland's growing reputation for biotech innovation, developing a new treatment approach that could improve options for people living with kidney disease." ### What's next? The fresh capital follows an earlier Series A extension round, bringing Mironid's total funding since inception to roughly $46.7 million. That's a solid runway to get the lead candidate through the next phase of clinical development. For anyone watching the biotech space, this is one to keep an eye on. Rare disease treatments are hard to develop, but when the science is sound and the investors are serious, the potential payoff—for patients and for the company—is enormous. We'll be watching to see how the clinical data plays out.