Kailera Therapeutics, a newly launched US-based biotechnology company, secured USD 400 million in Series A financing last week. Previously operating as Hercules CM Newco Inc., the company was established by a consortium of investors including Bain Capital Life Sciences, RTW Investments, Atlas Venture, and Lyra Capital. The pipeline of Kailera was initially stocked with four anti-obesity drug candidates acquired from Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine (SHA: 600276) in a deal concluded in May 2024.
Under the May 2024 agreement, Hengrui received a 19.9% equity stake in Kailera, USD 110 million in upfront and near-term payments, and commitments for USD 200 million in regulatory milestone payments and up to USD 5.725 billion in sales-based milestones. The same investors involved in the May 2024 deal were also the primary participants in last week’s Series A funding round.
Kailera’s portfolio development will be spearheaded by KAI-9531 (HRS9531 in China), an injectable GLP-1/GIP receptor dual agonist that has demonstrated robust Phase II results for obesity and type 2 diabetes in China. The other three molecules obtained from Hengrui for exclusive global development are KAI-7535, a clinical-stage oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, KAI-9531 in a once-daily oral tablet formulation, and KAI-4729, an injectable GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor tri-agonist.
The investors have appointed Ron Renaud as Kailera’s first CEO. Renaud brings extensive biotech experience, having previously led Cerevel Therapeutics until its acquisition by AbbVie earlier this year, and also serving as CEO at Translate Bio and Idenix Pharmaceuticals.- Flcube.com
