U.S. Tortugas Neuroscience Raises $106 Million and Fully Launches
Tortugas Neuroscience, a US biotech focused on CNS disorders, raised $106 million in Seed and Series A funding to advance Phase 2 trials for novel oral drugs licensed from Eisai and Hansoh Pharma.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 00:02 (5h 2m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 00:32 (29 min after Collected)
The following is an excerpted translation of a release issued from the United States on April 21, 2026.
[Framingham, Massachusetts, April 22, 2026] Tortugas Neuroscience ("Tortugas"), a U.S. biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics in the neurology and psychiatry space, is pleased to announce that it has raised a total of $106 million in Seed and Series A rounds. The raised funds will be used to advance research and development activities, including Phase 2 clinical trials for two lead candidate compounds.
Cure Ventures, a founding investor, is a life sciences venture capital firm focused on creating new companies around innovative technologies. The firm led the seed round and co-led the Series A round with The Column Group and AN Venture Partners.
Our pipeline consists of clinical-stage novel drug candidates licensed in from Eisai Co., Ltd. and China's Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. It targets central nervous system (CNS) diseases with high unmet medical needs, including schizophrenia, tinnitus, focal epilepsy, and reversible encephalopathy. The candidate compounds are small molecule new chemical entities with a de-risked mechanism of action, both of which are planned to be developed as once-daily oral formulations. Each has a unique pharmacological profile and is eyed for expansion into multiple indications.
Tortugas is led by CEO Jeff Jonas, formerly of Sage Therapeutics, and President and Head of R&D Al Robichaud, who have extensive experience in drug discovery and biotechnology company management. We aim to develop drugs with a clear path to approval that are expected to improve the quality of life for patients.
Tortugas CEO Jeff Jonas stated: "We are confident that our pipeline is unique in the market, consisting of carefully selected innovative therapeutic candidates with significant clinical advantages. With the development capabilities our team has built, we will realize our goal of delivering new treatment options to patients."
Al Robichaud, President and Head of R&D, commented: "Our mission is to expand treatment options for patients suffering from CNS diseases. The unmet medical need in CNS diseases remains significant, and we are deeply grateful for the support we have received."
About Tortugas Neuroscience
Tortugas Neuroscience is a biotechnology company focused on the field of neurological and psychiatric disorders, dedicated to developing effective medicines for brain diseases. By strategically focusing on de-risked mechanisms of action and rapid development processes, the company is working to create better therapies for patients worldwide. For more details, please visit here.
About Cure Ventures
Founded in 2021, Cure Ventures is a life sciences-focused venture capital firm dedicated to creating new biotechnology companies centered on breakthrough therapeutic technologies. With a people- and science-first approach, experienced industry leaders implement three investment principles: de-risking utilizing seed funding, increasing success rates through genetic validation, and supporting decision-making in partnership with founders. For more details, please visit here.
About The Column Group
The Column Group (TCG) is a life science venture capital firm dedicated to creating and investing in innovative biopharmaceutical companies that have the potential to become leaders in their respective fields, together with preeminent scientists, entrepreneurs, and executives aiming to build next-generation drug discovery and development companies. TCG strongly supports its portfolio companies with a diverse team of experts, including world-renowned scientists, developers with extensive drug discovery experience, and corporate executives. For more details, please visit here.
About AN Venture Partners (ANV)
Based in Tokyo and San Francisco, ANV is a global biotechnology venture capital firm dedicated to connecting Japan's innovative science with the U.S. startup ecosystem. "AN Venture Partners I, LP" closed in June 2025 with a total of 200 million US dollars. ANV was founded in 2022 by Japanese and U.S. venture capitalists with extensive experience in launching and nurturing startups. ANV focuses on...
[Framingham, Massachusetts, April 22, 2026] Tortugas Neuroscience ("Tortugas"), a U.S. biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics in the neurology and psychiatry space, is pleased to announce that it has raised a total of $106 million in Seed and Series A rounds. The raised funds will be used to advance research and development activities, including Phase 2 clinical trials for two lead candidate compounds.
Cure Ventures, a founding investor, is a life sciences venture capital firm focused on creating new companies around innovative technologies. The firm led the seed round and co-led the Series A round with The Column Group and AN Venture Partners.
Our pipeline consists of clinical-stage novel drug candidates licensed in from Eisai Co., Ltd. and China's Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. It targets central nervous system (CNS) diseases with high unmet medical needs, including schizophrenia, tinnitus, focal epilepsy, and reversible encephalopathy. The candidate compounds are small molecule new chemical entities with a de-risked mechanism of action, both of which are planned to be developed as once-daily oral formulations. Each has a unique pharmacological profile and is eyed for expansion into multiple indications.
Tortugas is led by CEO Jeff Jonas, formerly of Sage Therapeutics, and President and Head of R&D Al Robichaud, who have extensive experience in drug discovery and biotechnology company management. We aim to develop drugs with a clear path to approval that are expected to improve the quality of life for patients.
Tortugas CEO Jeff Jonas stated: "We are confident that our pipeline is unique in the market, consisting of carefully selected innovative therapeutic candidates with significant clinical advantages. With the development capabilities our team has built, we will realize our goal of delivering new treatment options to patients."
Al Robichaud, President and Head of R&D, commented: "Our mission is to expand treatment options for patients suffering from CNS diseases. The unmet medical need in CNS diseases remains significant, and we are deeply grateful for the support we have received."
About Tortugas Neuroscience
Tortugas Neuroscience is a biotechnology company focused on the field of neurological and psychiatric disorders, dedicated to developing effective medicines for brain diseases. By strategically focusing on de-risked mechanisms of action and rapid development processes, the company is working to create better therapies for patients worldwide. For more details, please visit here.
About Cure Ventures
Founded in 2021, Cure Ventures is a life sciences-focused venture capital firm dedicated to creating new biotechnology companies centered on breakthrough therapeutic technologies. With a people- and science-first approach, experienced industry leaders implement three investment principles: de-risking utilizing seed funding, increasing success rates through genetic validation, and supporting decision-making in partnership with founders. For more details, please visit here.
About The Column Group
The Column Group (TCG) is a life science venture capital firm dedicated to creating and investing in innovative biopharmaceutical companies that have the potential to become leaders in their respective fields, together with preeminent scientists, entrepreneurs, and executives aiming to build next-generation drug discovery and development companies. TCG strongly supports its portfolio companies with a diverse team of experts, including world-renowned scientists, developers with extensive drug discovery experience, and corporate executives. For more details, please visit here.
About AN Venture Partners (ANV)
Based in Tokyo and San Francisco, ANV is a global biotechnology venture capital firm dedicated to connecting Japan's innovative science with the U.S. startup ecosystem. "AN Venture Partners I, LP" closed in June 2025 with a total of 200 million US dollars. ANV was founded in 2022 by Japanese and U.S. venture capitalists with extensive experience in launching and nurturing startups. ANV focuses on...