Saniona har meddelat att Cephagenix, ett joint venture med professor Jes Olesen vid Köpenhamns universitet, framgångsrikt har rest upp till 9 MEUR i riskkapitalfinansiering. Finansieringsrundan leddes av AdBio Partners och AbbVie Ventures och syftar till att påskynda utvecklingen av Cephagenix program för vaskulära KATP-kanalhämmare, med inriktning på first-in-class-behandlingar mot migrän. BioStock sökte Sanionas vd Thomas Feldthus för en kommentar.

Saniona, som äger 33 procent av Cephagenix, grundade bolaget 2020 tillsammans med Jes Olesen, professor vid Danish Headache Center, Köpenhamns universitet, baserat på hans långa forskning om migränmekanismer och Sanionas expertis inom jonkanalsbaserad läkemedelsupptäckt och utveckling.

Cephagenix ledande program fokuserar på subtypsselektiva ATP-känsliga kaliumkanalhämmare (KATP). Dessa kanaler spelar en avgörande roll vid migräninduktion genom att påverka den intrakraniella artärfunktionen. Bolaget har redan identifierat högselektiva hämmare för subtypen KATP-kanal som uttrycks i intrakraniella artärer. Första generationens substanser har visat effekt i migränmodeller på gnagare.

AdBio Partners och AbbVie Ventures kliver in

Cephagenix har nu säkrat upp till 9 MEUR i såddfinansiering från AdBio Partners, ett riskkapitalbolag som investerar i bioteknikbolag i tidiga skeden i Europa, samt AbbVie Ventures, läkemedelsjätten AbbVies strategiska riskkapitalgren. AbbVie Ventures fokuserar uteslutande på nya, transformativa terapier i upptäckts- och prekliniska skeden.

Finansieringen kommer att främja Cephagenix vaskulära KATP-kanalhämmarprogram, som syftar till att utveckla first-in-class anti-migränbehandlingar.

Professor Jes Olesen kommenterade nyheten i ett pressmeddelande:

“I am thrilled to see Cephagenix’s anti-migraine program attracting interest from leading venture investors.”

Palle Christophersen, Executive Vice President of Research på Saniona och en del av Cephagenix ledningsgrupp, tillade:

“We are optimistic about selecting one or more development candidates under this seed financing round, which represents a critical step toward addressing the significant unmet medical need in migraine treatment.”

Med stöd från Saniona och nya investeringar från AdBio Partners och AbbVie Ventures är Cephagenix därmed väl positionerat för att avancera sitt arbete inom migränbehandling.

Sanionas vd Thomas Feldthus kommentarer

Bara för en månad sedan tecknade Saniona ett licensavtal värt upp till 610 MUSD med Acadia Pharmaceuticals för SAN711 inom neurologiska sjukdomar. Den nya såddfinansieringen innebär ytterligare en validering av bolagets vetenskapliga spetskompetens. BioStock kontaktade vd Thomas Feldthus för att få hans tankar kring nyheten.

Thomas, what inspired Saniona to partner with Professor Jes Olesen to establish Cephagenix?

– Our decision was driven by a combination of factors. First, Jes Olesen proposed an intriguing target, the KATP ion channels, which presented a strong scientific rationale and aligned well with our technology platform and expertise, making the project highly feasible. Jes’s belief in the potential of this new target, combined with his willingness to invest personally and actively participate in the joint venture, made him an ideal partner.

– Jes is also a globally recognized expert in migraine research, with a remarkable track record that includes proposing the now-validated CGRP antagonist target, which has transformed migraine treatment. His credibility is further reinforced by receiving Lundbeck’s Brain Prize, often regarded as the “Nobel Prize” of CNS research.

– This collaboration allows Saniona to focus on chemistry, cellular biology and drug discovery while leveraging Jes’s clinical migraine expertise and his deep knowledge about the pathophysiology of the disease. Both parties have contributed financially in proportion to their ownership stakes, ensuring shared commitment to the program’s success.

Can you elaborate on Saniona’s specific contributions to the development of the vascular KATP channel inhibitor program?

– Saniona screened its compound libraries and identified several promising series of interest. We synthesized hundreds of compounds, identified a highly selective tool compound, which achieved proof of concept in animal models at Jes’s laboratories. These efforts were critical in advancing the program toward its next stages.

How do you plan to position the Cephagenix’s program in the broader migraine treatment market, especially given the dominance of CGRP antagonists?

– While CGRP antagonists dominate the market by value, generic triptans remain the first-line treatment for many migraine patients. CGRP antagonists are primarily used prophylactically in severe cases, reducing the number of attacks by more than 50% for about 60% of patients, yet significant gaps in treatment remain.

– For example, the MAST study (Lipton, 2017) found that 75% of U.S. migraine patients do not use prescription medication during attacks, and most who do are dissatisfied with their current options. This highlights the limitations of existing treatments, which typically target only one of many potential triggers and mechanisms leading to migraine. Cephagenix’s target is considered downstream of many known mechanisms, offering the potential to benefit a broader patient population and effectively address this unmet need.

How does Saniona’s 33 per cent ownership in Cephagenix align with Saniona’s long-term strategy?

– Saniona is focused on advancing programs in epilepsy, with some programs also having potential in other neurological and psychiatric diseases. Our technology extends beyond these fields, allowing us to explore partnerships in areas like migraine through collaborations such as Cephagenix.

– We believe this program has significant potential to disrupt the migraine field, addressing both prophylactic and acute treatment markets. This partnership enables the program to progress with the support of highly qualified and esteemed investors while Saniona continues contributing through a fully funded research agreement with Cephagenix.

– This collaboration not only supports our financial position in the near term, ensuring that Saniona’s research activities are fully financed and all income from Acadia will be allocated to develop the internal pipeline, but also provides potential future upside through our equity stake in Cephagenix and other payments. Additionally, we retain the option to reinvest research income into Cephagenix, allowing us to maintain our ownership stake and further align with the program’s success.

AbbVie’s corporate venture arm participates in this financing. What does this signal about the potential of this program?

– AbbVie Ventures invests in transformational scientific opportunities aligned with AbbVie’s core R&D interests to gain access to next-generation science and build relationships with proven and emerging scientific leaders. AbbVie is a major pharmaceutical company and a market leader in the migraine treatment space, with extensive knowledge of the field.

– Their venture arm’s decision to invest in Cephagenix highlights the program’s strong potential and disruptive capabilities. This investment underscores AbbVie’s belief that Cephagenix’s innovative approach could significantly impact both the prophylactic and acute treatment markets for migraine, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape.

How big is the market?

– Migraine affects 12% of the global population, imposing significant socioeconomic costs estimated at €40–100 billion annually within the EU alone. Global prescription migraine treatment sales are projected to grow from $5.8 billion in 2023 to $12.4 billion by 2030, underscoring substantial opportunities for innovative therapies like those being developed by Cephagenix.

What key milestones do you expect Cephagenix will achieve with the 9 MEUR seed financing?

– The seed financing is structured as a tranched investment, with specific milestones tied to each tranche. The primary goal is to identify a candidate suitable for preclinical and clinical development.

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