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Exicure is a technology company.
Exicure develops nucleic acid therapies, specifically leveraging its Spherical Nucleic Acid (SNA) technology to create immunomodulatory and gene-regulating drugs. The company’s focus is on addressing validated targets within neurological disorders and hair loss. Their approach involves in-house discovery and development, supported by specialized facilities for rapid and automated high-throughput nucleic acid synthesis and screening, enabling precise therapeutic design and delivery.
The company was founded in 2011, stemming from foundational research in oligonucleotide-modified nanoparticles. David Giljohann is recognized as a key founding scientist, whose doctoral work in Dr. Chad A. Mirkin’s laboratory at Northwestern University in 2009 laid the groundwork for the unique three-dimensional architecture of SNA technology. This pioneering insight into novel nucleic acid arrangements formed the basis for Exicure’s therapeutic platform.
Exicure's work is directed toward ultimately benefiting patients afflicted with challenging conditions such as neurological disorders and hair loss. The company's overarching vision centers on the continued advancement of its proprietary SNA technology, aiming to translate its scientific innovations into effective new therapeutic options that can significantly improve patient outcomes and address unmet medical needs.
Exicure has raised $83.2M across 6 funding rounds.
Exicure has raised $83.2M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Exicure has raised $83.2M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Exicure's investors include Luye Pharma, Craig Mundie, Eric Lefkofsky, Eager Info Investments, Knoll Capital Management, Purple Arch Ventures, 500 Global, Global Innovation Fund, Hustle Fund, iNovia Capital, Kapor Capital, Learn Capital.
# Exicure: A Biotechnology Company, Not a Technology Company
Exicure is a clinical-stage biotechnology company, not a technology company. It develops nucleic acid therapies—specifically immunomodulatory and gene-regulating drugs—rather than software, hardware, or digital technology products.[1][2]
Exicure is an early-stage biotechnology firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, focused on developing a new class of therapeutic drugs using its proprietary spherical nucleic acid (SNA™) architecture.[2] The company addresses challenging diseases across inflammatory disorders, genetic disorders, and oncology by leveraging nucleic acid therapeutics—a biological approach to drug development rather than a technology platform.[2]
The company's core mission centers on helping patients access more effective treatments by overcoming a fundamental challenge in nucleic acid therapeutics: safe and effective cellular delivery.[2] Exicure operates a dedicated 30,000 square-foot in-house facility in Chicago that includes automated high-throughput nucleic acid synthesis and screening capabilities, enabling rapid drug discovery and development.[1]
Exicure operates within the nucleic acid therapeutics sector, a growing field addressing previously intractable genetic and inflammatory diseases. The company's SNA platform represents an advancement in drug delivery—a critical bottleneck limiting the therapeutic potential of RNA-based treatments. By solving delivery challenges, Exicure enables broader application of nucleic acid therapies across multiple disease areas and tissue types, potentially expanding the addressable market for this therapeutic modality.
Exicure has raised $83.2M across 6 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $11.2M Other Equity in November 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2017 | $11.2M Other Equity | Luye Pharma | Craig Mundie, Eric Lefkofsky, Eager Info Investments, Knoll Capital Management, Purple Arch Ventures |
| Sep 1, 2017 | $20.0M Venture Round | 500 Global, Global Innovation Fund, Hustle Fund, iNovia Capital, Kapor Capital, Learn Capital, Lightbank, Shawn Byers, Freada Kapor Klein | |
| Oct 1, 2015 | $15.0M Venture Round | 500 Global, Hustle Fund, iNovia Capital, Kapor Capital, Learn Capital, Lightbank, Shawn Byers, Freada Kapor Klein | |
| Feb 4, 2015 | $18.0M Series C | ||
| Jun 1, 2014 | $14.0M Series C | Global Innovation Fund, Bill Gates, Boon Hwee Koh, Craig Mundie, David R. Walt, Patrick Ryan, Rathmann Family Foundation | |
| Dec 1, 2011 | $5.0M Series B | Innovation Endeavors |