City Therapeutics Raised $100 Million for RNAi Pipeline

The Cambridge-based firm secured fresh capital to move its gene-silencing therapies into initial human trials.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Biotech

City Therapeutics Raised $100 Million for RNAi Pipeline

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City Therapeutics closed a $100 million financing round on June 9, 2026, bringing its total disclosed capital to $235 million. The funds are earmarked for advancing the company's RNA interference pipeline toward Phase I clinical development.

Why it matters

The company seeks to overcome current limitations in RNA therapeutics by developing delivery methods that target tissues outside of the liver. This infusion of capital provides the runway needed to shift from preclinical research to human testing.

City Therapeutics employs chemically modified small interfering RNAs—short strands of genetic material—to silence disease-causing genes. The company's platform aims to exceed the liver-restricted efficacy of current RNAi standards by leveraging proprietary delivery technology.

The players

City Therapeutics

A Cambridge-based biotech firm developing RNAi-based gene silencing therapies with a focus on extra-hepatic delivery.

Biogen

A global biotechnology company focused on neurology that provides delivery technology for the City Therapeutics pipeline.

Andrew Orth

The Chief Executive Officer and Director of City Therapeutics who has overseen the company's growth since January 2025.

The details

The platform functions by using chemically modified small interfering RNAs—molecular tools that silence specific disease-causing genes—combined with specialized delivery technology. This engineering approach is designed to expand RNAi therapies beyond the liver to reach other organs. The ongoing collaboration with Biogen provides the infrastructure for this delivery technology, which will be tested as the company moves its primary program toward the Phase I clinical trial threshold.

October 2024: City Therapeutics launched with $135 million in Series A funding.
January 2025: Andrew Orth was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Director.
May 28, 2025: A strategic collaboration worth up to $1 billion with Biogen was announced.
June 9, 2026: The company closed $100 million in additional financing.

The Tech Race

City Therapeutics is building its pipeline to compete in an RNAi landscape dominated by the successful liver-targeting platform pioneered by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. The company's trajectory centers on resolving the delivery constraints that have historically limited RNAi to hepatic applications.

Patients and clinicians should monitor the company's progress as it moves closer to its first Phase I clinical trial. Until then, these therapies remain in the research and development phase and are not yet available for therapeutic use.

The takeaway

City Therapeutics has reached the 20-month mark since its inception with a total of $235 million in capital. Stakeholders should watch for the official filing or announcement confirming the transition of the company's lead program into Phase I human clinical trials.