With clinical trials for its first compound slated to begin this month, Alzheimer's drug developer Sonexa Therapeutics Inc. has raised $30 million in Series A financing.

Alta Partners, Domain Associates, and Scale Venture Partners led the round, joined by AgeChem Venture Fund and MC Life Science Ventures. Eckard Weber, chief executive of Sonexa and a partner at Domain Associates, declined to give the valuation.

Based in San Diego, Sonexa has licensed its lead compound from an undisclosed Japanese drug developer. Weber said the drug, a small-molecule compound, is not currently on the market in Asia.

Human trials for the Alzheimer's drug are expected to begin this month, and Weber said the new money will get the company far along its clinical development. "It will last about two and a half years and will be sufficient to complete Phase I clinical trials and Phase II efficacy trials and get ready for Phase III," he said.

As the population ages, finding treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's has taken on greater importance. Weber said Sonexa is the result of several years of hunting around to bring together a path to fight the disease. "We've been looking to make an investment in an Alzheimer's therapeutic for some time," he said. "We spent a couple of years looking for opportunities."

While Weber is serving as chairman and CEO of Sonexa, Sharon Rogers, a former vice president of clinical research for Eisai Co.'s U.S. business, has been tapped to serve as president and chief medical officer. While at Eisai, Rogers helped develop Alzheimer's drug Aricept.

Weber said Sonexa has a staff of more than 10, including consultants.