Founders Compass awards cover lab bench and office space at Ocean State Labs for 12 months — with the equipment and support to carry a discovery forward

Companies may apply from anywhere in the country. Applications open August 24 and close September 24

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 25, 2026 — For an early-stage life science company, the hardest part often isn’t the discovery. It’s finding a place to develop it — a lab, the equipment, and the right environment to realize it.

Today the Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH) announced the Founders Compass Program, offered in partnership with Portal Innovations — the first Rhode Island program to pay for laboratory space directly on behalf of early-stage companies to help accelerate them through the early stages of scientific development. It is open to founders and researchers across the United States and beyond.

Founders Compass will place up to eight companies at Ocean State Labs, the state’s first dedicated life science incubator. Each selected company receives up to two wet lab benches and a dedicated desk, at no cost for 12 months. Portal Innovations, which operates the incubator, provides the laboratory infrastructure, equipment, programming, access to capital, a global network of resources, and advisor support behind the residency. RILSH has committed $250,000 to the program to support up to 8 companies and their early-stage research and development.

What Founders Compass provides

• Rent-free lab and office space. Up to two wet lab benches and one dedicated desk at Ocean State Labs, at no cost for 12 months.
• Access to shared facilities and specialized equipment.
• Advisors and community. Advisor support throughout the residency, educational programming, and access to a growing community of founders, scientists, investors, and industry leaders — including Portal Innovations’ network of sites in Chicago, Providence, New Brunswick, and Salt Lake City (opening in 2027).
• Open to founders anywhere. Companies may apply from any state or from abroad; what is required is a commitment to operate in Rhode Island.
• Up to eight companies, selected from a total RILSH commitment of $250,000.

“Early-stage companies need a place to advance their work — access to lab space, specialized equipment, and expertise – resources that are difficult for a young company to build on its own,” said Bob Cormier, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub. “Founders Compass helps lower those barriers so promising companies can focus on advancing their science. Our goal is to make it easier for good science to move forward — and for companies to build their future here in Rhode Island.”

Applications open August 24, 2026 and close September 24, 2026, with awards announced approximately four weeks later. Applications are evaluated against published criteria: scientific and technical merit, commercial potential, team strength, residency readiness, financial readiness, and impact in Rhode Island. Each recipient commits to establish, maintain, or expand its operations in Rhode Island for the term of the award.

Open to founders anywhere

Founders Compass is not limited to companies already based in Rhode Island. Researchers and founders across the United States and internationally are eligible to apply. The requirement is not where a company starts — it is a commitment to establish, maintain, or expand operations in Rhode Island for the term of the award.

That path is already well traveled. RILSH’s portfolio includes companies that have relocated to Rhode Island from California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Ireland to build here.

“If you’re a researcher with a discovery and nowhere to develop it, we want you to look at Rhode Island,” Cormier said. “You don’t have to be from here. You have to want to build here.”

The space

Ocean State Labs opened in May 2026 at 150 Richmond Street as Rhode Island’s first dedicated life science incubator, with fully equipped laboratory facilities built for up to 30 companies. It sits in the heart of Providence’s Innovation District, in a building with additional purpose-built laboratory and office space for companies ready to grow beyond the incubator — so a company can start at a single bench, prove its science, and scale without ever changing addresses.

“Access to affordable, ready-to-use lab space can be a significant hurdle for an early-stage life science company,” said Glenn Robertelli, Executive Director of RI Bio. “Founders Compass adds an important resource to Rhode Island’s growing ecosystem by giving companies a place to work, connect with other founders and industry leaders, and establish a foothold here. It gives entrepreneurs another compelling reason to look at Rhode Island as a place to build.”

Take a look at Ocean State Labs drone video fly-through here.

Who is eligible

The program is open to early-stage, for-profit companies working in biotechnology, therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, biomanufacturing, genomics, cell and gene therapy, research tools, and other regulated human health technologies. Applicants must have at least one full-time founder or employee, have raised no more than $5 million in dilutive capital, have generated less than $1 million in revenue over the preceding 12 months, conduct work at BSL-1 or BSL-2, and be committed to establishing or expanding operations in Rhode Island.

Applications and full eligibility criteria are available at www.rilifescience.com/founders-compass.

About Ocean State Labs

Ocean State Labs is Rhode Island’s first dedicated life science incubator, located at 150 Richmond Street in the heart of 195 District – Providence’s Innovation District. It is operated by Portal Innovations.

About Portal Innovations

Portal Innovations builds life science ecosystems in emerging biotech markets, providing early-stage capital, fully equipped laboratory space, and operational support to scientists and entrepreneurs turning breakthroughs into businesses. Portal operates five sites — two in Chicago, Providence, New Brunswick, and Salt Lake City (opening in 2027) — comprising more than 110,000 square feet of lab and office space and more than $12 million in laboratory equipment, serving a community of over 500 members. For more information, visit www.portalinnovations.com.

About RI Bio

RI Bio is the professional trade association and hub for the life sciences in the greater Rhode Island area, with a mission to grow the life sciences economy in Rhode Island and Southeastern New England. RI Bio advances the industry and its professionals through education, collaboration, and advocacy — sharing information and resources, providing access to capital, and creating industry connections. For more information, visit www.ri-bio.org.

About the Rhode Island Life Science Hub

The Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH) is a quasi-public state entity working to grow and serve Rhode Island’s life-science community — investing in, coordinating, and connecting academia, industry, clinical care, and capital to translate innovation into economic growth and improved health. Its vision is a Rhode Island recognized as a global life-science leader — a destination where companies from anywhere can build and grow, and where discovery becomes better health for people everywhere. As the state’s central coordinating organization for life sciences, RILSH is a gateway into Rhode Island’s research institutions, health systems, and talent — bringing companies and partners together to advance medical and scientific breakthroughs. For more information, please visit www.rilifescience.com.

Media contact:

RILSH
Sarah Sutton
[email protected]
(518) 932-3580

SOURCE Rhode Island Life Science Hub

Interval fund provides individual investors with access to diversified small and middle market infrastructure investments positioned to benefit from long-term megatrends.

MONUMENT, Colo., Aug. 25, 2026 — As demand grows for infrastructure investments, Advisors Asset Management (AAM) and Wilshire announced the launch of the AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund (AAWIX / AAWDX / AAWSX), enabling individual investors to participate in a private asset class that has historically been available primarily to large institutions. Sun Life Financial Inc., a global financial services organization with approximately $1.2 trillion in assets under management, has committed $150 million in seed capital to the Fund.

The AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund is designed to provide investors with access to a portfolio of global infrastructure assets positioned to benefit from long-term megatrends including digitalization, transportation, the energy transition, and social infrastructure. The Fund focuses on small- and middle-market opportunities, where specialized sourcing, value creation initiatives, and reduced competition may enhance return potential and diversification benefits.

“Private infrastructure has delivered compelling risk-adjusted returns for institutional investors for decades, yet access within the broader wealth channel has remained limited,” said Cliff Corso, Chief Executive Officer and President of Advisors Asset Management. “The AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund helps bridge that gap. Through our partnership with Wilshire, we are providing access to private infrastructure through an interval fund structure designed to meet the needs of individual investors.”

The Fund is sub-advised by Wilshire, a global financial services firm with approximately $1.3 trillion in assets under advisement and $33.2 billion in alternative assets under management.¹ Since 1972, Wilshire has been dedicated to improving investment outcomes for institutional investors and financial intermediaries worldwide, including pension plans, endowments, foundations, and wealth management firms. The firm has built its private markets capabilities in-house since 1984.

“We believe the world is at a pivotal moment, as powerful megatrends drive a significant need for new and upgraded infrastructure,” said Jason Schwarz, Chief Executive Officer of Wilshire. “The AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund is designed to capture opportunities arising from these trends. We are excited to bring our decades of private markets expertise to a broader range of investors.”

Through the Fund, investors gain exposure to difficult-to-access infrastructure managers and investment opportunities. Wilshire manages the Fund alongside similar infrastructure mandates for its institutional clients. The Fund invests across infrastructure funds, secondaries, and co-investments, providing diversified exposure across managers, strategies, and underlying assets.

Structured as an evergreen interval fund, the AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund is available for daily purchase with a minimum investment of $5,000.² The Fund does not require ongoing capital calls and provides tax reporting through Form 1099 rather than Schedule K-1, offering a streamlined investment experience for individual investors.

About Advisors Asset Management
With roots dating back to 1979, AAM has become a trusted resource for financial professionals. The firm offers access to alternative investments, exchange-traded funds, fixed income markets, managed accounts, mutual funds, structured products, and unit investment trusts. AAM is a part of SLC Management, the alternatives and traditional asset management business of Sun Life. For more information, visit www.aamlive.com.

Advisors Asset Management, Inc. (AAM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and member FINRA/SIPC. | Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. | 18925 Base Camp Road | Monument, CO 80132

For more information, visit www.aamlive.com | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/advisors-asset-management-inc-/ 

About Wilshire
Wilshire is a leading global financial services firm and trusted partner to a diverse range of approximately 300 leading institutional investors and financial intermediaries.³ Our clients rely on us to improve investment outcomes for a better future. Wilshire advises on over $1.3 trillion in assets and manages $183 billion in assets as of March 31, 2026.¹ Wilshire is headquartered in the United States with offices worldwide. The firm has been providing services in the private markets since 1984; these capabilities were and continue to be developed in-house. In 1996, Wilshire created a specialized private markets practice to meet the growing institutional investor appetite for private markets investments. Wilshire’s private markets investment due diligence is led by local teams in North America, Europe and Asia allowing a combined global perspective with local market presence. Wilshire seeks to create high-performing diversified private markets solutions that prudently manage portfolio risk, compensate investors for illiquidity and meet or exceed clients’ risk-adjusted return expectations. More information on Wilshire can be found at www.wilshire.com.

Glossary of Terms

• A co-investment is in an investment, alongside a general partner, in an infrastructure asset or private infrastructure company.
• An evergreen interval fund is a type of closed-end fund that offers investors limited liquidity through scheduled periodic repurchase offers, rather than daily redemptions like a mutual fund.
• Secondaries involve buying existing interests in either Primary Funds from an investor (“LP-led”) or private assets from a General Partner (“GP-led”).
• Small and middle-market infrastructure opportunities include transaction sizes of approximately $100 million to $2 billion, and Portfolio Fund sizes of approximately $500 million to $5 billion.

Additional Important Information

Past performance does not guarantee future results. All amounts are shown in US$.

1. As of 3/31/2026. Assets under advisement refers to the total amount of assets (inclusive of assets under management) attributable to all of Wilshire’s advisory relationships, including various consulting and advisory relationships for which Wilshire provides investment advisory services without engaging, on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis, in the direct management of a client’s portfolio. Assets under management refers to the amount of assets attributable to securities portfolios for which Wilshire provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management services and is calculated differently than “regulatory assets under management”.
2. The minimum initial investment for Class S Shares (AAWSX) and Class D Shares (AAWDX) is $5,000, subject to certain exceptions, and minimum subsequent investments are $1,000. The minimum initial investment for Class I Shares (AAWIX) is $1,000,000, and minimum subsequent investments are $1,000.
3. As of 12/31/2025. Includes institutional investors, financial intermediaries, and Wilshire-sponsored vehicles. Does not include individual retirement plans and retail investors via financial intermediary platforms.

Before investing, carefully consider the AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund’s (the “Fund”) investment objectives, risk factors, charges, and expenses. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting www.aamlive.com. Investors should read the prospectus carefully before investing.

An investment in the Fund involves risks. The Fund should be considered a speculative investment that entails substantial risks, and a prospective investor should invest in the Fund only if it can sustain a complete loss of its investment. Fund fees and expenses may offset trading profits. Fund shares are illiquid and appropriate only as a long-term investment. There is no market exchange available for shares of the Fund thereby making them difficult to liquidate. Use of leverage may increase the Fund’s volatility. The Fund is non-diversified, meaning it may concentrate its assets in fewer individual holdings than a diversified fund. Investments may consist of loans to small and/or less well-established privately held companies that have reduced access to the capital markets, resulting in diminished capital resources and the ability to withstand financial distress. Please see the prospectus for details of these and other risks.

The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end investment company that continuously offers its shares. An investment in the Fund should be considered a speculative investment that entails substantial risks, including but not limited to the following:

• You will not have access to the money you invest for an extended period of time
• You will not be able to sell your Shares regardless of how the Fund performs.
• Because you will be unable to sell your Shares, you will be unable to reduce your exposure to Shares upon any market downturn.
• The Fund does not intend to list its Shares on any securities exchange and the Fund does not expect a secondary market in its Shares to develop.
• The Fund has implemented a Share repurchase program, but the Fund is required to repurchase only 5% (and may not repurchase more than 25%) of its outstanding Shares per quarter.
• Shares are appropriate only for those investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk, do not require a liquid investment, and for whom an investment in the Fund does not constitute a complete investment program.
• The amount of distributions that the Fund may pay, if any, is uncertain.
• The Fund’s distributions may be funded from offering proceeds or borrowings, which may constitute a return of capital and reduce the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment. A return of capital to shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. As a result of such reduction in tax basis, shareholders may have taxable gains in connection with the sale of Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the shareholder’s original investment.
• Fund distributions may also be funded from the waiver or payment of certain expenses by the Advisor that will be subject to repayment in the future. The repayment of any amounts owed to the Advisor will reduce the future distributions to which you would otherwise be entitled.

Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business, including economic slowdown, supply and demand volatility, increased competition, fluctuations in usage, expenses, and revenue, lack of fuel availability, energy conservation policies, technological obsolescence and changes in interest rates, regulations, or fiscal and monetary policy. Property values may fall due to increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal, cultural or technological developments. There is no regular market for interest in infrastructure assets, which typically must be sold in privately negotiated transactions that can occur at a discount to the stated NAV.

The Fund will allocate a portion of its assets to multiple investment funds, and shareholders will bear two layers of fees and expenses: management fees and administrative expenses at the Fund level, and asset-based management fees, carried interests, incentive allocations or fees and expenses at the Investment Fund level.

A significant portion of the Fund’s investments will likely be priced by investment funds in the absence of a readily available market and may be priced based on determinations of fair value, which may prove to be inaccurate. Please see the prospectus for additional information.

The AAM Wilshire Infrastructure Fund is distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. Quasar, Wilshire and AAM are not affiliated.

CRN: 2026-0731-13663 R

CONTACT:

AAM Media Contact:
Matthew Bono
JConnelly
(973) 590-9110
[email protected]

Wilshire Media Contact:
‍Prosek Partners
[email protected]

SOURCE Advisors Asset Management; Wilshire

— Funds will accelerate AI design automation platform and customer projects —

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 25, 2026 — Celera Semiconductor, the leading analog IC supplier using AI to slash the cost and time to develop and supply analog ICs, today announced it had closed $30M of Series B financing. The round was fully funded by Maverick Silicon, Celera’s largest investor.

“Celera has made significant progress in the last two years,” said Patrick Brockett, CEO of Celera Semiconductor. “We recently acquired Silicon Gate, a world class product development and design automation team in Portugal. We are rapidly expanding that team.”

“We have also enhanced Celera’s design and AI leadership in California, expanding the power management applications we can address,” said Dr. Helen Song, CTO of Celera Semiconductor. “Furthermore, this funding will accelerate our design automation roadmap.”

“Celera is creating a new and highly efficient option to source custom analog designs,” said Kenneth Safar, Managing Director at Maverick Silicon. “Every system has critical analog content, and sourcing those products has created schedule challenges for many customers. Celera is providing a way to remove these barriers. We believe the impact will be substantial.”

About Celera Semiconductor

Celera Semiconductor is redefining the future of analog IC design. Using software acceleration based on its patented Nesto™ technology – the industry’s first library of digital twins of analog functions. Celera Semiconductor is the first to offer full-custom or standard products in a fraction of the time of traditional semiconductor companies. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, Celera partners with world-class supply chain players to deliver high-performance, cost-efficient analog solutions at unprecedented speed. Maverick Silicon is the major investor in Celera.

For more information, visit www.celerasemi.com

About Maverick Silicon

Maverick Silicon is an investment adviser focused on private semiconductor growth companies and related opportunities. This includes a focus on companies designing or producing chips, hardware, software or processes that accelerate or enable the performance of the broader infrastructure stack underlying artificial intelligence. Maverick Silicon is a division of Maverick Capital, a global $10B asset manager.

For more information, visit www.mavericksilicon.com/

SOURCE Celera Semiconductor

Global institutional investors join in the round to accelerate tokenization infrastructure build-out and expand frontier tech investing capability

NEW YORK and LONDON, Aug. 25, 2026 — Hivemind Digital Group, a leading technology-focused global asset management platform and the parent company of Hivemind Capital, today announces the completion of a $17 million strategic funding round led by M&G Investments. The round also includes participation from CPIC Investment Management (HK), ZA Bank, FalconX, Sonic Boom Ventures and others.

Founded in 2021, Hivemind has quickly grown into one of the largest investment firms focused on managing assets at the intersection of traditional markets and the digital asset innovation. This funding round accelerates Hivemind’s evolution in deploying tokenization infrastructure that has the potential to reshape elements of how financial assets – both traditional and digital – are structured, managed and accessed.

The investment also marks the beginning of the relationship between Hivemind and M&G, in recognition of the role digital assets and tokenization will increasingly play in the financial markets. As part of the investment, Alex Seddon, Head of Impact and Private Equity at M&G Investments, has been appointed to Hivemind’s Board of Directors.

“Hivemind was founded on the conviction that digital assets deserved recognition as a distinct and institutional-grade asset class. The market has evolved significantly in recent years with increasing institutional engagement. This funding round and our partnership with M&G represent the start of our next chapter: taking blockchain technology beyond digital assets and supporting the development of new applications across asset management and financial infrastructure. M&G leading this round is a huge recognition of the work Hivemind has done to date and a clear signal that the industry is ready for that shift, and we intend to be at the forefront of that change,” said Matt Zhang, Founder and CEO of Hivemind Digital Group.

“At M&G we take a selective approach to innovation, focusing on opportunities where new technologies meet institutional standards and robust governance. Our investment in Hivemind reflects an interest in how tokenization and related infrastructure could support practical, long-term applications across financial markets – we look forward to working together as this area continues to develop, ” said Alex Seddon, Head of Impact and Private Equity at M&G Investments.

“As one of Hong Kong’s leading insurance asset managers as well as a digital asset and RWA frontrunner, CPIC IMHK has a unique vantage point on how capital markets are evolving globally. Blockchain and tokenization represent a fundamental shift in that landscape, and Hivemind is one of the few firms with the track record and institutional relationships to capitalize on that opportunity at scale. We are proud to support Matt and the firm as it enters this next stage of growth,” said CG Zhou, CEO of CPIC IMHK.

Other investors in the round include board members and ex-senior executives at Man Group Plc, Apollo Global Management, Coinbase, Citi, First Citizens Bank and GoldenTree Asset Management.

The tokenized asset market is projected to reach $18.9 trillion by 2033. With this raise, Hivemind is equipped to move decisively: deploying capital into unique opportunities enabled by tokenization across asset classes, expanding its institutional partnerships globally, and building the financial infrastructure enabling the next-generation asset management industry.

About Hivemind Digital Group

Hivemind Capital is a global investment group operating at the intersection of traditional finance and the digital asset innovation. Founded in 2021, Hivemind allocates institutional capital across a diverse set of investment strategies, and implements technology infrastructure to help assets and institutions transition onto blockchain rails with discipline, durability, and scale. Learn more at hivemind.capital.

About M&G Investments

M&G Investments is part of M&G plc, a savings and investments company with £371 billion of assets under management (as at 31 March 2026). M&G plc has customers in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia, including individual savers and investors, life insurance policy holders and pension scheme members.

For nearly nine decades M&G Investments has been helping its customers to prosper by putting investments to work, which in turn creates jobs, homes and vital infrastructure in the real economy. Its investment solutions span equities, fixed income, multi asset, cash, private debt, infrastructure and real estate.

M&G plc recognises the importance of responsible investing, is a signatory (both as an asset manager and owner) to the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), and is targeting net zero emissions by 2050, across our investment portfolios and operations. For more information, please visit: www.mandg.com 

SOURCE Hivemind

• Die Kapitalerhöhung dient der Finanzierung der laufenden klinischen Studie der Phase 2b/3 zur Prävention der bronchopulmonalen Dysplasie sowie der damit verbundenen CMC- und analytischen Aktivitäten
• Rund 94 % der bestehenden Investoren beteiligten sich an der Finanzierungsrunde der Serie E-2
• Eine Zwischenanalyse zum Abschluss des Phase-2b-Teils der Studie wird voraussichtlich bis Ende des 2. Quartals 2027 vorliegen

ATLANTA, 25. August 2026 — Airway Therapeutics, Inc., ein biopharmazeutisches Unternehmen in der späten klinischen Entwicklungsphase, das neuartige biologische Therapien für Atemwegs-, Entzündungs- und Infektionserkrankungen entwickelt, gab heute den Abschluss einer Finanzierungsrunde in Höhe von 50 Millionen US-Dollar bekannt, um die weitere klinische Entwicklung von Zelpultide alfa – dem neuartigen rekombinanten humanen Surfactant-Protein D (rhSP-D) des Unternehmens – in der späten klinischen Phase zu unterstützen.

Die E-Finanzierungsrunde setzt sich aus 26 Millionen US-Dollar zusammen, die zuvor im Rahmen einer SAFE-Finanzierung eingeworben wurden, sowie aus 24 Millionen US-Dollar aus der Serie-E-2-Finanzierungsrunde des Unternehmens. Die Mittel werden in erster Linie dazu dienen, Airway beim Abschluss des laufenden Teils der klinischen Phase-2b/3-Studie zu unterstützen, in der Zelpultide alfa zur Prävention der bronchopulmonalen Dysplasie (BPD) bei extrem frühgeborenen Säuglingen untersucht wird, sowie die damit verbundenen Aktivitäten in den Bereichen Chemie, Herstellung und Kontrollen (CMC) und Analytik zu finanzieren, die für den Fortgang des Programms erforderlich sind.

An der Finanzierungsrunde der Serie E-2 beteiligten sich zahlreiche bestehende Investoren von Airway; rund 94 % der bestehenden Investoren nahmen an der Runde teil. Zu den Teilnehmern zählten das Cincinnati Children’s Hospital sowie ein Konsortium großer Family Offices, die sich für die Weiterentwicklung neuartiger Therapien für schwere Atemwegserkrankungen einsetzen.

„Wir freuen uns außerordentlich über die rege Beteiligung und die anhaltende Unterstützung unserer bestehenden Investoren, wobei sich rund 94 % unserer derzeitigen Kapitaltabelle an der Serie-E-2-Finanzierungsrunde beteiligt haben, was ihr Vertrauen in Airway, unser Team und das Potenzial von Zelpultide alfa widerspiegelt”, sagte Dr. Marc Salzberg, Chairman und Chief Executive Officer von Airway Therapeutics. „Mit dieser Finanzierungsrunde sind wir gut aufgestellt, um die Dynamik in unserem klinischen Programm im Spätstadium aufrechtzuerhalten, während wir Zelpultide alfa zur Prävention von BPD bei extrem frühgeborenen Säuglingen untersuchen – einer Patientengruppe mit erheblichem ungedecktem medizinischem Bedarf und ohne zugelassene präventive Therapien.”

„Diese Finanzierungsrunde festigt die finanzielle Lage von Airway weiter, während wir die laufende klinische Studie der Phasen 2b/3 durchführen und uns auf die nächsten wichtigen Entwicklungsmeilensteine des Programms vorbereiten”, sagte Alan S. Wolk, MBA, Chief Financial Officer und Chief Operating Officer von Airway Therapeutics. „Die Erlöse verschaffen uns das Kapital, um die klinische Studie sowie die für die CMC- und BLA-Vorbereitung erforderlichen analytischen Arbeiten zu finanzieren, die notwendig sind, um Zelpultide alfa auf disziplinierte und effiziente Weise durch die späte Entwicklungsphase zu führen.”

Der nächste wichtige Meilenstein in der Entwicklung von Airway ist die geplante Zwischenanalyse, die den Abschluss des Phase-2b-Teils der laufenden klinischen Phase-2b/3-Studie markiert. Die Ergebnisse der Zwischenanalyse werden voraussichtlich bis Ende des zweiten Quartals 2027 vorliegen.

Informationen zu Zelpultide Alfa
Zelpultide alfa ist ein rekombinantes humanes Surfactant-Protein D (rhSP-D), das präzise so entwickelt wurde, dass es die vollständige quaternäre Struktur und die biologische Funktion des nativen Proteins nachbildet, wobei durch fortschrittliche Zelllinientechnologie eine optimierte Glykosylierung erreicht wurde. Seine therapeutische Wirksamkeit beruht auf drei wesentlichen Mechanismen: der Modulation von Immunreaktionen zur Eindämmung übermäßiger Entzündungen, der Verbesserung der Erkennung und Beseitigung von Krankheitserregern sowie der Aufrechterhaltung der Surfactant-Homöostase zur Unterstützung der Lungenfunktion. Als vielseitige biologische Plattform wird Zelpultide alfa für Patienten aller Altersgruppen entwickelt – von der Prävention der bronchopulmonalen Dysplasie (BPD) bei extrem frühgeborenen Säuglingen bis hin zur Behandlung akuter und chronischer Atemwegs-, Entzündungs- und Infektionserkrankungen bei Erwachsenen.

Die Hauptindikation von Zelpultide alfa, die Prävention der BPD, durchläuft derzeit eine klinische Studie der Phase 2b/3, nachdem eine Phase-1b-Studie ein günstiges Sicherheits- und Verträglichkeitsprofil nachgewiesen hat.

Informationen zu Airway Therapeutics
Airway Therapeutics ist ein biopharmazeutisches Unternehmen in der späten klinischen Entwicklungsphase, das eine neue Klasse biologischer Therapien entwickelt, um die Prävention und Behandlung von Atemwegs-, Entzündungs- und Infektionserkrankungen neu zu definieren. Sein führender Wirkstoffkandidat, Zelpultide alfa, befindet sich derzeit in der späten klinischen Entwicklungsphase zur Prävention der bronchopulmonalen Dysplasie (BPD) bei extrem frühgeborenen Säuglingen – einer Erkrankung, für die es bislang keine zugelassenen präventiven Therapien gibt. Als Plattform-Biologikum wird Zelpultide Alfa zudem für eine breitere Anwendung über verschiedene Altersgruppen und Krankheitsbilder hinweg vorangetrieben, mit dem Ziel, die Behandlungsergebnisse für gefährdete Patientengruppen zu verbessern.

Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter https://www.airwaytherapeutics.com

Unternehmenskontakt:
Libba Muzi
Airway Therapeutics
[email protected]
513-770-9630

• The capital raise supports ongoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and associated CMC and analytical activities
• Approximately 94% of existing investors participated in the Series E-2 round
• Interim analysis completing the Phase 2b portion of the trial expected by the end of Q2 2027

ATLANTA, Aug. 25, 2026 — Airway Therapeutics, Inc., a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing novel biologic therapies for respiratory, inflammatory, and infectious diseases, today announced the closing of a $50 million equity round to support the continued late-stage clinical development of zelpultide alfa, the Company’s novel recombinant human surfactant protein D (rhSP-D).

The E-round consists of $26 million previously raised through a SAFE financing and $24 million through the Company’s Series E-2 round. Proceeds will primarily support Airway’s completion of the ongoing Phase 2b portion of the Phase 2b/3 clinical trial evaluating zelpultide alfa for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very preterm infants, as well as associated chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) and analytical activities required to advance the program.

The Series E-2 round received broad participation from Airway’s existing investor base, with approximately 94% of existing investors participating in the round. Participants included Cincinnati Children’s and a syndicate of large family offices, who are committed to advancing novel therapies for serious respiratory diseases.

“We are extremely pleased by the strong participation and continued support of our existing investors, with approximately 94% of our current cap table participating in the Series E-2 round, reflecting their confidence in Airway, our team and the potential of zelpultide alfa,” said Marc Salzberg, MD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Airway Therapeutics. “With this round, we are well positioned to maintain momentum across our late-stage clinical program as we evaluate zelpultide alfa for the prevention of BPD in very preterm infants, a population with significant unmet medical need and no approved preventive therapies.”

“This round further solidifies Airway’s financial position as we execute the ongoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial and prepare for the program’s next important development milestones,” said Alan S. Wolk, MBA, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Airway Therapeutics. “The proceeds provide us with the capital to support the clinical study as well as the CMC and BLA readiness analytical work necessary to advance zelpultide alfa through late-stage development in a disciplined and efficient manner.”

Airway’s next major development milestone is the planned interim analysis marking the completion of the Phase 2b portion of the ongoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial. Results from the interim analysis are expected by the end of the second quarter of 2027.

About Zelpultide Alfa
Zelpultide alfa is a recombinant human surfactant protein D (rhSP-D) precisely engineered to replicate the native protein’s full quaternary structure and biological function, incorporating optimized glycosylation through advanced cell line technology. Its therapeutic activity is driven by three key mechanisms: modulation of immune responses to mitigate excessive inflammation, enhancement of pathogen recognition and clearance, and maintenance of surfactant homeostasis to support pulmonary function. As a versatile biologic platform, zelpultide alfa is being developed for patients across all age groups—from preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very preterm infants to treating acute and chronic respiratory, inflammatory and infectious conditions in adults.

Zelpultide alfa’s lead indication, BPD prevention, is currently progressing through a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial, following a Phase 1b study that demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile.

About Airway Therapeutics
Airway Therapeutics is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of biologic therapies to redefine the prevention and treatment of respiratory, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Its lead candidate, zelpultide alfa, is currently in late-stage clinical development for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very preterm infants, a condition with no approved preventive therapies. As a platform biologic, zelpultide alfa is also being advanced for broader application across age groups and disease settings, with the goal of improving outcomes for vulnerable patient populations.

For more information, please visit https://www.airwaytherapeutics.com  

Company Contact:
Libba Muzi
Airway Therapeutics  
[email protected]
513-770-9630

SOURCE Airway Therapeutics

• Cette levée de fonds soutient l’essai clinique de phase 2b/3 en cours visant à prévenir la dysplasie bronchopulmonaire, ainsi que les activités associées en matière de CMC et d’analyse.
• Environ 94 % des investisseurs existants ont participé au tour de table de série E-2
• Une analyse intermédiaire clôturant la partie de phase 2b de l’essai est attendue d’ici la fin du deuxième trimestre 2027

ATLANTA, 25 août 2026 — Airway Therapeutics, Inc., une société biopharmaceutique spécialisée dans les essais cliniques de phase avancée et développant des traitements biologiques innovants pour les maladies respiratoires, inflammatoires et infectieuses, a annoncé aujourd’hui la clôture d’un tour de table de 50 millions de dollars destiné à soutenir la poursuite du développement clinique de phase avancée du zelpultide alfa, la nouvelle protéine D tensioactive humaine recombinante (rhSP-D) de la société.

Le tour de table « E » comprend 26 millions de dollars levés précédemment dans le cadre d’un financement SAFE et de 24 millions de dollars levés lors du tour de table de série E-2 de la société. Les fonds levés serviront principalement à permettre à Airway de mener à bien la partie « phase 2b » de l’essai clinique de phase 2b/3 en cours, qui évalue le zelpultide alfa dans la prévention de la dysplasie bronchopulmonaire (DBP) chez les prématurés extrêmes, ainsi que les activités de chimie, de fabrication et de contrôle (CMC) et les activités analytiques associées nécessaires à l’avancement du programme.

Le tour de table de série E-2 a bénéficié d’une large participation de la part des investisseurs actuels d’Airway, environ 94 % d’entre eux y ayant pris part. Parmi les participants figuraient le Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center et un consortium de grands family offices, qui se sont engagés à faire progresser des thérapies innovantes dans le cadre des maladies respiratoires graves.

« Nous sommes extrêmement satisfaits de la forte participation et du soutien continu de nos investisseurs existants, puisque près de 94 % des actionnaires figurant dans notre tableau de capitalisation actuel ont participé au tour de table de série E-2, ce qui témoigne de leur confiance en Airway, en notre équipe et dans le potentiel du zelpultide alfa », a déclaré le Dr Marc Salzberg, , président-directeur général d’Airway Therapeutics. « Grâce à cette levée de fonds, nous sommes bien placés pour maintenir notre élan dans l’ensemble de notre programme clinique de phase avancée, alors que nous évaluons le zelpultide alfa dans la prévention de la dysplasie bronchopulmonaire (DBP) chez les prématurés extrêmes, une population présentant un besoin médical non satisfait important et pour laquelle il n’existe aucun traitement préventif approuvé ».

« Ce tour de table renforce encore davantage la situation financière d’Airway à mesure que nous poursuivons l’essai clinique de phase 2b/3 en cours et que nous nous préparons à franchir les prochaines étapes importantes du programme », a déclaré Alan S. Wolk, MBA, directeur financier et directeur des opérations d’Airway Therapeutics. « Ces fonds nous apportent les ressources financières nécessaires pour financer l’étude clinique ainsi queles travaux d’analyse relatifs à l’activité CMC et à la préparation du dossier BLA (Biologics License Application), indispensables pour faire progresser le zelpultide alfa vers les phases avancées de développement de manière rigoureuse et efficace ».

La prochaine étape majeure du développement d’Airway est l’analyse intermédiaire prévue, qui marquera l’achèvement de la partie de phase 2b de l’essai clinique de phase 2b/3 actuellement en cours. Les résultats de l’analyse intermédiaire sont attendus d’ici la fin du deuxième trimestre 2027.

À propos du zelpultide alfa
Le zelpultide alfa est une protéine D tensioactive humaine recombinante (rhSP-D) conçue avec précision pour reproduire intégralement la structure quaternaire et la fonction biologique de la protéine native, et dont la glycosylation a été optimisée grâce à une technologie avancée de lignées cellulaires. Son activité thérapeutique repose sur trois mécanismes clés : la modulation des réponses immunitaires pour atténuer l’inflammation excessive, l’amélioration de la reconnaissance et de l’élimination des agents pathogènes et le maintien de l’homéostasie du surfactant pour soutenir la fonction pulmonaire. Plateforme biologique polyvalente, le zelpultide alfa est en cours de développement pour des patients de toutes les tranches d’âge, de la prévention de la dysplasie broncho-pulmonaire (DBP) chez les très grands prématurés au traitement des affections respiratoires, inflammatoires et infectieuses aiguës et chroniques chez l’adulte.

L’indication principale du zelpultide alfa, à savoir la prévention de la dysplasie bronchopulmonaire, fait actuellement l’objet d’un essai clinique de phase 2b/3, à la suite d’une étude de phase 1b qui a mis en évidence un profil de sécurité et de tolérance favorable.

À propos d’Airway Therapeutics
Airway Therapeutics est une société biopharmaceutique spécialisée dans les essais cliniques de phase avancée qui développe une nouvelle classe de traitements biologiques visant à redéfinir la prévention et le traitement des maladies respiratoires, inflammatoires et infectieuses. Son principal candidat, le zelpultide alfa, se trouve actuellement en phase avancée de développement clinique pour la prévention de la dysplasie bronchopulmonaire (DBP) chez les très grands prématurés, une affection pour laquelle il n’existe aucun traitement préventif approuvé. En tant que plateforme biologique, le zelpultide alfa fait également l’objet d’efforts d’application élargie à d’autres groupes d’âge et pathologies, en vue d’améliorer les résultats pour les populations de patients vulnérables.

Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur https://www.airwaytherapeutics.com  

Contact de l’entreprise :
Libba Muzi
Airway Therapeutics  
[email protected]
513-770-9630

By turning a capability once reserved for specialized computational teams into a self-service product on Amazon SageMaker, SandboxAQ extends its Large Quantitative Models into a market that underpins the majority of the world’s manufactured goods 

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 25, 2026 — SandboxAQ today announced that AQCat, its Large Quantitative Model (LQM) for catalyst discovery, is now generally available in AWS Marketplace and deployable through Amazon SageMaker. The release makes one of the company’s most commercially significant scientific tools available on demand to materials innovators, industrial giants, and discovery teams, who can now run it directly inside their own AWS environment, with no specialized computational scientists or custom code required.

Catalysts are the hidden engine of the physical economy. They are essential to the production of more than 80% of all manufactured goods and over 90% of all commercially produced chemicals, from fertilizer and fuel to fabric, glass, and plastics. Yet the process of discovering better catalysts has remained slow and costly, with conventional laboratory methods typically able to evaluate fewer than 100 candidates per week, a pace that confines most innovation to incremental improvements on existing materials.

AQCat removes that bottleneck. Trained on 13.5 million high-fidelity quantum chemistry calculations spanning 47,000 catalyst systems, it predicts the key properties that determine catalyst performance at up to 20,000 times the speed of conventional physics-based methods while approaching their accuracy. For chemical leaders, that means screening and ranking vast numbers of candidate materials computationally, then reserving costly laboratory and supercomputing work for only the strongest leads. This allows users to compress R&D timelines and de-risk investment across the pipeline.

Making AQCat generally available in AWS Marketplace marks a shift from bespoke scientific engagements to scalable, self-service commercial distribution. Customers can subscribe and deploy within infrastructure they already use and trust, keeping every calculation inside their own AWS account for security and governance. The launch extends a cloud go-to-market strategy that also spans Anthropic, where SandboxAQ offers users access to AQCat via MCP. 

“Highly efficient machine learning interatomic potentials such as AQCat will rapidly accelerate the evaluation of promising new materials and deepen our understanding of their complex transformations,” said Julia Yang, Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology.

“Catalysis touches nearly everything the global economy produces, yet the tools to discover better catalysts have barely changed in decades,” said Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ. “By making AQCat available in AWS Marketplace, we’re putting a capability that once required specialized teams and supercomputers into the hands of any enterprise research team, on infrastructure they already trust. This is how we scale our Large Quantitative Models from breakthrough science into everyday commercial impact.”

AQCat’s advantage lies in both reach and fidelity. It is built to account for spin polarization, a physical effect essential to accurately modeling widely used industrial metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, and it supports six additional industrially relevant elements (barium, cerium, fluorine, lithium, lanthanum, and magnesium) that are absent from other datasets. Together, these capabilities open the door to catalysts and critical-material pathways that older methods could not reach, with direct applications in green hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, fertilizer production, and plastics recycling.

AQCat is generally available to AWS commercial customers in North America in AWS Marketplace. To get started, subscribe at AWS Marketplace: AQCat – AI Models for Catalyst Discovery.

About SandboxAQ
SandboxAQ is a B2B company delivering solutions at the intersection of AI and quantum techniques. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) deliver critical advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, and other sectors. SandboxAQ is an independent, growth-backed company funded by leading investors and strategic partners including funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Google, Alger, IQT, US Innovative Technology Fund, S32, Paladin Capital, BNP Paribas, Eric Schmidt, Breyer Capital, Ray Dalio, Marc Benioff, Thomas Tull, Yann LeCun, and others. For more information, visit www.sandboxaq.com.

SOURCE SandboxAQ

-Airway Therapeutics cierra una ronda de financiación de 50 millones de dólares para impulsar el desarrollo en fase avanzada de Zelpultide Alfa

• La captación de capital respalda el ensayo clínico en curso de fase 2b/3 para la prevención de la displasia broncopulmonar y las actividades analíticas y de química clínica asociadas.
• Aproximadamente el 94 % de los inversores actuales participaron en la ronda de financiación Serie E-2.
• Se prevé que el análisis intermedio que completa la fase 2b del ensayo esté disponible a finales del segundo trimestre de 2027.

ATLANTA, 25 de agosto de 2026 — Airway Therapeutics, Inc., una empresa biofarmacéutica en fase clínica avanzada que desarrolla nuevas terapias biológicas para enfermedades respiratorias, inflamatorias e infecciosas, anunció hoy el cierre de una ronda de financiación de 50 millones de dólares para respaldar el desarrollo clínico continuo en fase avanzada de zelpultide alfa, la nueva proteína D humana surfactante recombinante (rhSP-D) de la compañía.

La ronda E consta de 26 millones de dólares recaudados previamente mediante una financiación SAFE y 24 millones de dólares a través de la ronda Serie E-2 de la compañía. Los fondos se destinarán principalmente a que Airway complete la fase 2b del ensayo clínico de fase 2b/3 que evalúa zelpultide alfa para la prevención de la displasia broncopulmonar (BPD) en bebés muy prematuros, así como a las actividades de química, fabricación y control (CMC) y analíticas necesarias para el avance del programa.

La ronda Serie E-2 contó con una amplia participación de la base de inversores de Airway, con aproximadamente el 94 % de los inversores existentes participando en la ronda. Entre los participantes se encuentran el Hospital Infantil de Cincinnati y un consorcio de grandes family offices, comprometidos con el desarrollo de terapias innovadoras para enfermedades respiratorias graves.

“Estamos sumamente satisfechos con la fuerte participación y el continuo apoyo de nuestros inversores actuales, con aproximadamente el 94 % de nuestra estructura accionarial actual participando en la ronda Serie E-2, lo que refleja su confianza en Airway, nuestro equipo y el potencial de zelpultide alfa”, dijo Marc Salzberg, MD, presidente y consejero delegado de Airway Therapeutics. “Con esta ronda, estamos bien posicionados para mantener el impulso en nuestro programa clínico de fase avanzada mientras evaluamos zelpultide alfa para la prevención de la displasia broncopulmonar en bebés muy prematuros, una población con una importante necesidad médica no cubierta y sin terapias preventivas aprobadas.”

“Esta ronda de financiación consolida aún más la posición financiera de Airway mientras llevamos a cabo el ensayo clínico de fase 2b/3 en curso y nos preparamos para los próximos hitos importantes del desarrollo del programa”, declaró Alan S. Wolk, MBA, director financiero y director de operaciones de Airway Therapeutics. “Los fondos nos proporcionan el capital necesario para respaldar el estudio clínico, así como el trabajo analítico de preparación para CMC y BLA, indispensable para avanzar con zelpultide alfa a través de las últimas etapas de desarrollo de manera disciplinada y eficiente”.

El próximo hito importante del desarrollo de Airway es el análisis intermedio previsto, que marca la finalización de la fase 2b del ensayo clínico de fase 2b/3 en curso. Se esperan los resultados del análisis intermedio para finales del segundo trimestre de 2027.

Acerca de Zelpultide Alfa
Zelpultide alfa es una proteína surfactante humana recombinante D (rhSP-D) diseñada con precisión para replicar la estructura cuaternaria completa y la función biológica de la proteína nativa, incorporando una glicosilación optimizada mediante tecnología avanzada de líneas celulares. Su actividad terapéutica se basa en tres mecanismos clave: modulación de las respuestas inmunitarias para mitigar la inflamación excesiva, mejora del reconocimiento y la eliminación de patógenos, y mantenimiento de la homeostasis del surfactante para favorecer la función pulmonar. Como plataforma biológica versátil, lzelpultide alfa se está desarrollando para pacientes de todas las edades, desde la prevención de la displasia broncopulmonar (BPD) en recién nacidos muy prematuros hasta el tratamiento de afecciones respiratorias, inflamatorias e infecciosas agudas y crónicas en adultos.

La principal indicación de zelpultide alfa, la prevención de BPD, se encuentra actualmente en fase 2b/3 de ensayos clínicos, tras un estudio de fase 1b que demostró un perfil favorable de seguridad y tolerabilidad.i

Acerca de Airway Therapeutics
Airway Therapeutics es una compañía biofarmacéutica en fase clínica avanzada que desarrolla una nueva clase de terapias biológicas para redefinir la prevención y el tratamiento de enfermedades respiratorias, inflamatorias e infecciosas. Su principal candidato, zelpultide alfa, se encuentra actualmente en fase clínica avanzada para la prevención de la displasia broncopulmonar (BPD) en bebés muy prematuros, una afección para la que no existen terapias preventivas aprobadas. Como plataforma biológica, zelpultide alfa también se está desarrollando para una aplicación más amplia en diferentes grupos de edad y contextos patológicos, con el objetivo de mejorar los resultados para poblaciones de pacientes vulnerables.

Para obtener más información, visite https://www.airwaytherapeutics.com 

Contacto de la compañía: 
Libba Muzi
Airway Therapeutics  
[email protected]
513-770-9630