Life sciences firm Zucara Therapeutics Inc. has secured non-dilutive funding of US$3.9 million for the pre-clinical advancement of its lead drug candidate for diabetes, ZT-01. Zucara’s partner, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, will provide the funds in the form of a loan under a program-related investment (PRI). ZT-01 is focused on the prevention of hypoglycemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels, which may lead to unconsciousness or death, in patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and other types of insulin-dependent diabetes. For its lead drug to be on schedule for Phase I clinical trials in 2019, Zucara is pushing forward with GLP toxicology, GMP manufacturing and other investigational new drug/clinical trial application enabling activities. Zucara chief scientific officer Richard Liggins, who has helped several similar-stage therapeutics reach clinical trials, will lead the preclinical development work. To build and advance its products, Zucara is working closely with the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD).