Augustine Therapeutics raises €78 million to develop new therapies for diseases including CMT

Leuven-based Augustine Therapeutics NV, a BioTech firm concentrated on establishing brand-new treatments for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic conditions via the restraint of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today revealed it finished its EUR77.7 million Collection A funding round.

The oversubscribed funding was co-led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Funding, sustained by existing financiers Asabys Allies, that led a first EUR17.5 million closing in 2024, Eli Lilly and Firm, AdBio companions, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Study Structure and Newton Biocapital.

Gerhard Koenig, PhD, chief executive officer of Augustine stated: “ This considerable funding is a testimony to the ingenious medical chemistry that Augustine was started on, which acts by means of a distinct system of activity. The restorative possibility of HDAC6 is commonly acknowledged in our market, however previous medicine methods have actually been sub-optimal, especially for persistent conditions. At Augustine, our team believe we have actually resolved these obstacles with an unique non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide generating chemotype which is very discerning and prevents the regular constraints of previous chemotypes, opening HDAC6 restraint as a restorative method

“ We currently eagerly anticipate swiftly progressing our lead prospect right into medical tests for the therapy of CMT, while expanding the possibility for our prospects to transform therapy standards for neurological and cardio-metabolic conditions. I wish to thank our brand-new and present financiers for their undeviating assistance as we remain to progress right into medical growth“

Augustine Rehabs was started in 2019 on the research study of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven Centre for Mind and Illness Research Study in Belgium, that recognized HDAC6 restraint as an encouraging method for the therapy of CMT and various other neuropathies. Augustine was originally created and seed-funded by V-Bio Ventures, AdBio Allies, VIB, PMV, and Gemma Frisius Fund. The Firm lately assigned skilled biopharma leader Gerhard Koenig, PhD, that had actually acted as Exec Chairman given that June 2024, to lead the Firm as Chief Executive Officer in January 2025.

Augustine Rehabs is a biotechnology firm concentrated on the therapy of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic conditions via its next-generation method to uniquely hinder HDAC6. Augustine’s HDAC6 preventions have actually been actively created to uniquely hinder HDAC6 while maintaining its advantageous non-catalytic features.

HDAC6 is associated with neurodegeneration and cells aging-related mobile procedures, and pharmacologic restraint of HDAC6 is an encouraging method in a variety of conditions, according to Augustine.

Augustine have actually apparently created a distinct next-generation method to uniquely hinder HDAC6 while maintaining its advantageous non-catalytic features. This unique non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazine generating method looks for to stay clear of the constraints of previous HDAC6i and has considerable possibility in CMT, one of the most typical genetic condition of the outer anxious system, impacting about 3 million individuals worldwide.

With added independent and distinguished programs concentrated on brain-penetrant and peripheral-restricted particles, Augustine’s pipe of HDAC6 preventions has better prospective in numerous conditions, consisting of neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic conditions.

Emmanuelle Coutanceau, PhD, Companion, Seed Investments, Novo Holdings, commented: “ Our mapping of the HDAC6i landscape has actually made us certain that Augustine’s ingenious and extensive method to medical chemistry has actually generated particles with prospective to be best-in-class. HDAC6 restraint reveals excellent assurance in lots of signs, and we are excited to begin our cooperation with Augustine’s top-tier administration group. In addition, Augustine will certainly be increasing its tasks in Denmark, accessing a distinct ecological community and swimming pool of ability which will certainly sustain the expedition of HDAC6i in cardio-metabolic conditions“

The earnings will certainly be utilized to progress Augustine’s lead prospect, AGT-100216, via a Stage I/II proof-of-concept medical test in CMT. Past AGT-100216, Augustine has 2 various other programs in exploration targeting peripherally-restricted and blood-brain barrier-penetrant HDAC6i for unrevealed neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic signs.

Mehdi Ainouche, PharmD, Elderly Principal, at Jeito Funding, stated: “T his financial investment highlights the possibility of Augustine to bring amazing technology in restorative locations where clients have actually restricted or no therapy choices. We are pleased to co-lead this funding to recognize Augustine’s possibility, which stands apart for both the top quality of its research study and the competence of Gerhard and his group. We eagerly anticipate our future cooperation, which shares a typical aspiration: to speed up medical growth in order to bring these developments to clients“

Emmanuelle Coutanceau, PhD, Companion at Seed Investments, Novo Holdings, and Mehdi Ainouche, PharmD, Elder Principal at Jeito Funding have actually signed up with Augustine Rehabs’ Board of Supervisors. Annette Clancy, Operational Financier at Jeito Funding, and Marie Schroeder, PhD, Vice Head Of State at Seed Investments, Novo Holdings will certainly sign up with as Board Onlookers.

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