Clinical-stage biotech company Therini Bio, Inc. has raised $39 million in a Series A extension financing to support continued advancements for its clinical pipeline of neurodegenerative disease immunotherapeutics.
Let’s get a Therini rundown first.
Founded in 2016 and based in Sacramento, California, Therini is developing potential first-in-class fibrin-targeting immunotherapies that target neuroinflammation in severe retinal and neurological diseases caused by vascular dysfunction.
Why focus on vascular dysfunction?
This impaired ability for blood vessels to properly dilate and constrict is often caused by aging, genetic risk, and various diseases—such as hypertension and diabetes.
What it can lead to: Potential accumulation of toxic fibrin (a protein involved in blood clotting) deposits outside blood vessels, causing chronic innate immune cell activation.
- The result of this: Neuronal damage—including possible underlying neurodegeneration within the brain and retina (the ocular connection here).
And how is Therini’s science used to target this inflammation?
The company’s approach—developed by founder and scientific advisor Katerina Akassoglou, PhD—works by selectively targeting the inflammatory epitope on fibrin to block the neuroinflammation that is typically triggered.
- Importantly: This is done without “impacting coagulation (blood clotting) or protective innate immunity (the body’s first line of defense against pathogens).”
Which brings us to Therini’s pipeline: Investigative candidates of fibrin-targeting immunotherapies, geared toward treating two neurodegenerative diseases:
- Diabetic macular edema (DME)
- Alzheimer’s disease
Got it. Now before we discuss those, talk financing.
This latest extension financing round for the company involved both existing and new investors—including Angelini Ventures and Apollo Health Ventures.
- See here for those existing investors (which also includes Eli Lilly and Company).
Total monetary value: With the addition of this $39 million, Therini has now raised $75 million in Series A funding.
And what will it be used for?
The company plans to use the proceeds of this financing for:
- Funding phase 1b clinical trials that will evaluate its lead investigational candidate
- Planned indications: Alzheimer’s and DME
- Supporting the clinical development of an additional therapeutic:
- A fibrin / vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) bispecific
Alrighty, now let’s talk about this lead asset.
Its name: THN391
- What it is: A high-affinity humanized monoclonal antibody intended to selectively block fibrin-mediated neuroinflammation—without impacting the coagulation pathways.
Its proposed indications:
- Alzheimer's (as a systemic therapeutic)
- DME (administered as an intravitreal [IVT] injection)
Any clinical data on it yet?
Preclinical and phase 1a findings, actually.
Starting with preclinical: THN391 was evaluated in a rat laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (LCNV) model for wet AMD, as well as a streptozotocin (STZ) model of daily and weekly IVT injections.
- The outcomes: Effectiveness was demonstrated in reducing both CNV area and permeability of laser-induced neovascular lesions in the LCNV model—with similar findings for the STZ model (though no statistical significance was reached).
- See the full overview—and click here for company feedback.
And the phase 1a findings?
With data released just last month, Therini reported THN391 was well-tolerated among healthy patients enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, showing:
- No adverse hematological effects
- No impact on coagulation and fibrinolysis
- No anti-drug antibody response
- A dose-proportional pharmacokinetics with a half-life supporting monthly dosing
Sounds promising … so when will these phase 1b trials kick off?
Two trials are expected to commence shortly. The company reported that its team is currently “preparing to begin dosing patients” for both trials evaluating Alzheimer’s and DME.
So you know what that means—stay tuned!