NEA Funds JHU to Advance Noa Therapeutics’ Novel Immune Modulating Drug Platform
TORONTO, September 9, 2025 — Noa Therapeutics (Noa), a Toronto-based biotechnology company pioneering a biased engagement approach to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a master regulator of immunity, is proud to announce that the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Department of Dermatology has been awarded a prestigious Catalyst Research Grant from the National Eczema Association (NEA) to study Noa’s lead drug compound in preclinical models of atopic dermatitis.
The grant, which supports transformative early-stage research with potential for high patient impact, will fund an independent investigation into Noa’s novel drug compounds. “NEA grant recipients represent innovative investigators studying novel opportunities for better eczema therapies, better care, better outcomes – and one day, potentially, a cure. We’re excited to see the results from the JHU team,” said Wendy Smith Begolka, Chief Program and Mission Officer at NEA.
Dr. Meng-Jen Wu under Dr. Nathan Archer, scientific researchers at JHU, will evaluate the compound’s impact on underlying inflammatory pathways contributing to the chronic, relapsing nature of eczema in validated in vivo disease models.
“This grant marks an exciting milestone for Noa and highlights the great potential of our novel biased AhR approach to safety break the cycle of chronic inflammation that 31 million people in North America struggle with every day,” said Dr. Carla Spina, PhD, CEO of Noa. “We are honored that Dr. Archer is leading an investigation supported by the NEA that will evaluate the potential for our compounds to deliver safer and more effective solutions for patients living with chronic inflammatory diseases like eczema,” added Dr. Kattayoun Kordy, MD, CMO at Noa.
The compound under investigation was discovered using Noa’s proprietary screening platform and has been selected to advance into human clinical trials.
“Noa’s lead program is part of a growing pipeline targeting dysregulated innate immune transcriptional networks. This collaboration with JHU will strengthen the translation of our platform and support our path to the clinic and ultimately patients,” added Serena Mandla P.Eng. MASc, CSO at Noa.
The preclinical data generated through this research will support Noa’s development strategy and pave the way for their biased AhR platform expansion into a wide range of barrier-related inflammatory indications.
About Johns Hopkins University
Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins University is a global leader in scientific research and medical innovation. The Johns Hopkins Department of Dermatology is an internationally recognized department of translational research in skin disease and immunology.
About Noa Therapeutics
Noa Therapeutics is a preclinical biotechnology company pioneering novel biased signal approach to AhR, a master regulator of immunity, to unlock the platform potential of AhR and transform treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
Media Contact:
media@noatherapeutics.com
www.noatherapeutics.com