Celea Therapeutics announced the completion of a $180 million financing round to support the development of deupirfenidone, also known as LYT-100, as a potential new standard of care for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
The financing included participation from RA Capital Management, Leaps by Bayer, and Celea founder PureTech Health, along with a large U.S.-based healthcare-focused fund and a leading sovereign wealth fund.
The funding will support the planned early Q3 2026 initiation of SURPASS-IPF, a Phase 3 trial evaluating deupirfenidone. Celea said SURPASS-IPF will be the first head-to-head Phase 3 trial in IPF, directly comparing deupirfenidone against pirfenidone.
Deupirfenidone is an investigational next-generation antifibrotic and a deuterated form of pirfenidone, one of three FDA-approved therapies for IPF. The therapy has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission.
The planned pivotal Phase 3 SURPASS-IPF trial will be a global, randomized, double-blind, head-to-head study comparing deupirfenidone 825 mg TID to pirfenidone 801 mg TID in adults with IPF who are not on background therapy. The primary efficacy endpoint will be the change from baseline in absolute forced vital capacity at week 52, which will assess the superiority of deupirfenidone compared with pirfenidone.
In the global Phase 2b ELEVATE IPF trial, which was published in The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, deupirfenidone demonstrated the potential to stabilize lung function decline over at least 26 weeks as a monotherapy while maintaining a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Initial data from the open-label extension study suggest this effect may be sustained through at least 52 weeks.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a rare, progressive, and fatal lung disease marked by irreversible scarring of lung tissue, leading to a steady decline in lung function. Median survival following diagnosis is estimated to be two to five years, and there is currently no cure.
Celea Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for serious respiratory diseases. The company was founded by PureTech Health.
KEY QUOTES:
“People living with IPF continue to face a devastating disease with limited treatment options, and we believe deupirfenidone has the potential to deliver meaningful improvements for patients. We are grateful for the support and confidence of this exceptional group of investors, whose commitment enables us to initiate the Phase 3 SURPASS-IPF trial and advance development of deupirfenidone with the speed and focus this community deserves.”
Sven Dethlefs, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Celea
“We are delighted to support Celea as it enters this important next stage of development. The compelling results generated to date with deupirfenidone and the Company’s bold Phase 3 SURPASS-IPF trial represent a differentiated opportunity to meaningfully change the treatment landscape in IPF. Supported by a seasoned team with a demonstrated track record of successfully advancing innovative medicines, Celea is exceptionally well positioned to execute on its strategy of unlocking the full potential of deupirfenidone for patients.”
Laura Stoppel, Ph.D., Partner at RA Capital Management
