Sweden's Gesynta Pharma raises $28 million for novel endometriosis treatment

Endometriosis impacts 190 million women globally

Gesynta Pharma AB has announced that it has secured SEK 304 million (USD $27.7 million) in a Series B financing round led by Innovestor Life Science.

The funding will primarily be used for a Phase II clinical trial of vipoglanstat - a drug candidate for the treatment of endometriosis, a debilitating inflammatory disease affecting 190 million women globally. The financing round attracted participation from new European and US specialist investors while also gaining strong support from existing shareholders.

One in 10 women of reproductive age

Endometriosis is a painful chronic inflammatory disease that significantly impairs the health and quality of life for over 10% of women of reproductive age. Tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, forming endometriotic lesions. This causes chronic pelvic pain as well as pain during menstruation, intercourse, urination and bowel movements. The symptoms often emerge in young adulthood, impacting education, career, and fertility.

Current first-line treatments, including pain medications and hormonal contraceptives, provide inadequate relief for many patients or cause intolerable side effects which leaves a major unaddressed medical need for safe and effective novel therapies.

Gesynta Pharma is developing vipoglanstat, a novel non-hormonal drug candidate for the treatment of endometriosis. Vipoglanstat targets mPGES-1, an enzyme upregulated in endometriotic lesions that drives both pain and lesion progression. Preclinical data have shown a marked reduction of endometriotic lesions and pain following treatment with vipoglanstat. The drug candidate has also demonstrated a favorable safety profile in previous clinical studies.

Professor Linda Giudice, MD, PhD, a renowned international expert on endometriosis at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) said:

"Endometriosis forces millions of women to endure severe pain and other life-altering symptoms for years or even decades.

“Groundbreaking research revealing the central role of inflammation in the disease has opened promising new therapeutic pathways, bringing us closer to efficacious treatments without the side effects associated with current hormone-based therapies. Vipoglanstat represents a breakthrough in this frontier of novel non-hormonal treatment development."

The financing round was led by Innovestor Life Science and included participation from existing and new investors such as Hadean Ventures, Industrifonden, Linc, Foreground Capital, Catalyze Capital, Stephen Industries and Amboy Street Ventures.

Patric Stenberg, CEO of Gesynta Pharma said:

"This SEK 304 million funding round marks a pivotal milestone for Gesynta Pharma, demonstrating strong international investor confidence in our approach to treating endometriosis.

“With these funds, we will advance vipoglanstat towards being Phase III-ready, aiming to provide patients with a disease-modifying treatment option that overcomes the efficacy and tolerability limitations of current therapies.”

The upcoming European Phase II trial of vipoglanstat will enroll approximately 190 patients suffering from endometriosis. The trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of two dose levels of vipoglanstat against placebo over four months' administration.

Pekka Simula, Partner at Innovestor Life Science said:

"The substantial medical need for improved treatments of endometriosis combined with the commercial potential of vipoglanstat presents a compelling investment opportunity, and we are delighted to support Gesynta Pharma in the development of this potentially game-changing drug candidate."