NephroDI Therapeutics Announces Investment by Sound Bioventures to Accelerate Development of NDI-5001 as a Potential First-in-Class Therapy for Pediatric Orphan Kidney Disease
June 20 2024 - 7:00AM
- New funding to take NDI-5001 into and through clinical proof of
concept in Congenital Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI)
- New investment complements previously announced strategic
corporate partnership
June 20, 2024 Seattle,
WA – NephroDI Therapeutics (NephroDI), a near-clinical
stage pharmaceutical company focusing on kidney disorders,
announces a Series A investment from life sciences VC Sound
Bioventures. Together with a previously announced strategic
corporate partnership, the capital will be used to advance
NDI-5001, a proprietary small molecule AMPK activator that targets
the kidney, initially as a potential first-in-class treatment of
Congenital Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI). NDI-5001 is
projected to enter the clinic later this year.
Congenital NDI is a rare X-linked genetic
condition that affects individuals from birth, in which they
produce significant amounts of dilute urine daily because their
kidneys lack the ability to concentrate urine. This can require
affected individuals to drink up to 20 liters of water per day to
prevent life threatening dehydration. In addition to the clinical
problems caused by this disease, the need for water and frequent
urination dramatically interferes with sleep, school, travel and
choices of employment, among other aspects of quality of life.
NDI can also be induced as an unwanted side
effect of various drugs including lithium usage in neuropsychiatric
patients. Several of these drug-induced conditions are also Orphan
Disease populations.
Current off-label therapies and diet-based
interventions are ineffective, and patients often discontinue them
for lack of clinical benefit and associated high burden of side
effects. Diabetes insipidus is unrelated to diabetes mellitus and
NDI-5001 does not affect blood glucose levels in pre-clinical
studies, in contrast to other AMPK activators being developed for
Type 2 diabetes. NDI-5001 has received Orphan Drug Designation and
was granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation making it eligible
for the Priority Review Voucher by the Office of Orphan Products
Development at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
“These children and their families are in
desperate need for new and better therapies that assist in keeping
them healthy,” said Rachael Hagan, CEO of
NephroDI. “We are excited that Sound Bioventures has
joined NephroDI as an investor and member of the Board. The
expertise that NephroDI gains via this partnership will help propel
NDI-5001 during the initial clinical phase towards proof of
concept. This will position the Company to rapidly enter pivotal
trials in pediatric patients with this potentially first-in-class
NDI therapy.”
“NephroDI has sought advice and formed close
relationships with other physicians that are adult and pediatric
experts in NDI, and the NDI Foundation,” stated Jeff Sands,
MD, Chief Medical Officer of NephroDI. “All parties share
in the common goal of advancing therapeutic options for patients
suffering with NDI. I am highly optimistic about the potential of
NDI-5001 to improve the quality of life in this patient population,
especially in children.”
Mike Parnell, President of the NDI
Foundation, added, “It is the Foundation’s mission to
serve the entire NDI community: patients and their families,
researchers, physicians and other health care providers by
supporting education, research, treatment and cures
for Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus. We look forward to
communicating and facilitating the efforts by NephroDI to bring new
treatments to the NDI community.”
About NephroDI Therapeutics
NephroDI Therapeutics, Inc. is a pharmaceutical
company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, focused on developing
and commercializing drugs to treat concentration disorders of the
kidney. The company’s lead program is NDI-5001, a novel
kidney-targeted small molecule AMPK activator being developed as a
potential first-in-class treatment of Congenital Nephrogenic
Diabetes Insipidus. For more information, please visit the company
website at www.nephrodi.com.
NephroDI Media Contact:
Josh Knackert
jknackert@nephrodi.com
About Sound Bioventures
Sound Bioventures is a specialist life sciences venture capital
fund investing in about-to-be clinical or clinical stage private
companies in Europe and the USA developing specialty therapeutics
in areas of significant clinical unmet need. The founding team has
an active, hands-on approach and brings considerable operational
and VC investment experience, including working together on over 40
investments over the past 15 years.
Sound Bioventures operates from key locations in Washington DC
(USA), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Stockholm (Sweden).
For more information, see our website Sound Bioventures
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains certain
“forward-looking statements” concerning the development of NephroDI
Therapeutics’ products, the potential benefits and attributes of
those products, and the company’s expectations regarding its
prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks,
assumptions, and uncertainties that could cause actual future
events or results to differ materially from such statements. These
statements are made as of the date of this press release. Actual
results may vary. NephroDI Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to
update any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Press Release URL: News | NephroDI
Therapeutics