Tortugas Neuroscience Launches with $106 Million to Advance Clinical Stage Pipeline Targeting New and Major Neurology and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Biotech Veterans Jeff Jonas and Al Robichaud to Lead Company with Investment from Cure Ventures, The Column Group, and AN Ventures

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tortugas Neuroscience (“Tortugas”), a neurology-focused biotech company developing novel medicines with derisked mechanisms of actions, for large and well-defined indications, today announces $106 million in Seed and Series A financings. The funding will support ongoing research and development initiatives, including the completion of Phase 2 clinical trials for its two lead candidates.

Founding investor Cure Ventures, a life sciences venture capital firm focusing on de novo company formation around groundbreaking technologies, led the Seed round, and will co-lead the Series A round along with The Column Group and AN Venture Partners.

In-licensed from Eisai Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. (Greater China), the clinical stage pipeline includes potential treatments for schizophrenia, tinnitus, focal epilepsy, reversible encephalopathies, and other high, unmet need central nervous system (CNS) indications. The programs feature small molecule new chemical entities (NCE’s) with derisked mechanisms of action. Tortugas intends for these molecules to be once-daily, oral formulations with differentiated pharmacological profiles, that also afford indication expansion possibilities.

Tortugas is led by accomplished drug developers and biotech company builders CEO, Jeff Jonas, M.D., and President, Head of Research & Development, Al Robichaud, Ph.D., both formerly of Sage Therapeutics. The Company’s strategy focuses on the development of medicines with clear regulatory paths to approval, and advantages that are expected to have a clinically meaningful positive impact on patients’ lives.

"We believe each of our programs are well-positioned for differentiation in the marketplace," said Jeff Jonas, M.D., CEO of Tortugas Neuroscience. "Tortugas curated its pipeline for innovative therapeutics that have high potential for clinical differentiation and of reaching their target patient markets. I am confident that with our team’s demonstrated drug development capabilities, we will deliver on our promise to patients in need.”

"We are driven to improve treatment options for patients suffering with CNS disorders," said Al Robichaud, President, Head of Research & Development at Tortugas. "The unmet patient need is indeed immense and we are deeply appreciative of this financial support to help us achieve our goals.”

About Tortugas Neuroscience
Tortugas Neuroscience is a neurology-focused biotech company dedicated to developing effective medicines that address diseases of the brain. With a strategic focus on derisked mechanisms and rapid development pathways, Tortugas Neuroscience is committed to creating therapies with meaningful impact for patients worldwide. For more information, please visit: https://www.tortugasneuro.com/.

About Cure Ventures
Founded in 2021, Cure Ventures is a life sciences venture capital firm focusing on de novo company formation around groundbreaking curative technologies. Above all else, the Cure team leads with respect for people and for science. Led by highly accomplished industry veterans, Cure’s investment thesis is founded on three tenets: a seed funding model that allows Cure to de-risk the science and set companies up for success; genetic validation that increases the probability of success; and embedded Cure operators to drive the best day-to-day decision making in collaboration with founders. For more information, please visit: www.curevc.com.

About The Column Group
The Column Group (TCG) is a leading life sciences venture capital firm that seeks to partner with exceptional scientific founders, entrepreneurs, and executives with a shared vision for building the next generation of drug discovery and development companies. TCG creates and invests in innovative biopharma companies with the potential to become leaders in their respective fields. These companies are strongly supported by the unique and complementary skill sets of TCG’s team, which includes world-renowned scientists, experienced drug developers and company builders. For more information, please visit www.thecolumngroup.com.

About AN Venture Partners
ANV is a Tokyo and San Francisco-based multi-stage, global biotech venture capital firm specializing in bridging innovative science from Japan with the US start-up ecosystem. ANV Fund I is a USD200 million fund that closed in June 2025. The firm was established in 2022 by a group of experienced venture capitalists from Japan and the United States, who have a wealth of experience building start-ups. ANV is committed to strengthening Japan’s biotech ecosystem and founded initiatives such as Science2Startup Japan to accelerate ecosystem growth.