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From research to clinic

KDventures helped found AnaCardio based on research at Karolinska Institutet. The company has since been built into an internationally funded biotech company with positive Phase 1b/2a results for AC01.

A new approach to treating heart failure

Heart failure is one of the most common causes of hospitalisation and mortality in cardiovascular disease. Despite major advances with today’s treatments, many patients still have severely impaired pumping function.

Professor Lars Lund at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital had seen in his research that the hormone ghrelin could increase the heart’s contractile capacity through a different mechanism than traditional inotropic treatments. The potential was clear, but the naturally occurring hormone was difficult to build a commercial drug development project around.

KDventures saw the opportunity to translate the research into a developable drug concept. Together with the researchers, the structure around the project was built and the search for a drug candidate based on the same biological principle began. The work led to AC01, an oral ghrelin receptor agonist licensed from the Swiss company Helsinn.

From project to funded biotech company

KDventures helped build AnaCardio, strengthened the organisation with, among other things, a CEO and medical expertise, and took part in the extensive negotiations around the licence agreement with Helsinn.

KDventures then brought in external investors to finance the clinical development. AnaCardio has since attracted several leading Nordic and international life science investors through a Series A of SEK 150 million and a subsequent financing of approximately SEK 205 million.

The Phase 1b/2a clinical study with AC01 has subsequently shown a favourable safety profile and positive signals on heart function and structure in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The results provide clinical proof of concept for the treatment principle and support continued development towards Phase 2b.

AnaCardio thus illustrates KDventures’ entire investment model – from academic research and company formation to international financing and clinical validation.

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