N-Zyme Biomedical has raised approximately $4.6 million in Series A funding to advance Phase 2 clinical programs evaluating its pepsin inhibitor platform for reflux disease. The financing is expected to fully fund the company’s planned Phase 2 work in laryngopharyngeal reflux and proton pump inhibitor-refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Investors in the round included healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, a venture capital firm and strategic investors. N-Zyme did not disclose the names of the participants.
The company’s lead investigational therapy is designed to inhibit pepsin, a digestive enzyme that N-Zyme believes contributes to tissue damage and persistent symptoms associated with reflux disease.
Most conventional reflux treatments, including proton pump inhibitors, primarily reduce the production of stomach acid. N-Zyme is pursuing a different mechanism intended to address the activity of pepsin.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux occurs when material from the stomach reaches the throat and voice box. Symptoms can include coughing, throat clearing, hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease generally involves stomach contents repeatedly moving into the esophagus. Some patients continue experiencing symptoms despite treatment with proton pump inhibitors, creating a need for additional therapeutic options.
N-Zyme plans to use the financing to continue its ongoing Phase 2 study in laryngopharyngeal reflux and prepare a Phase 2 program for patients with PPI-refractory GERD.
The capital will also support regulatory work, manufacturing activities, scientific programs, business development and general corporate purposes.
N-Zyme recently launched its Phase 2 clinical program for laryngopharyngeal reflux and has continued expanding its intellectual property portfolio. The company also plans to develop additional strategic partnerships.
Although the company believes targeting pepsin could offer a new approach to reflux treatment, its lead therapy remains investigational. Further clinical testing will be necessary to establish its safety and effectiveness, and there is no assurance it will receive regulatory approval.
N-Zyme is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with operations in Newark, Delaware, and Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
KEY QUOTES:
“Closing our Series A financing is more than a funding milestone, it’s an important validation of our science, our strategy, and our team’s commitment to transforming the treatment of reflux disease.”
“Their investment enables us to accelerate our Phase 2 clinical programs and brings us one step closer to delivering a first-in-class therapy for the millions of patients worldwide who continue to live with significant unmet medical needs.”
“We believe this financing marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for N-Zyme as we continue building a leading biotechnology company dedicated to improving the lives of patients with reflux disease.”
Franco Vigile, Co-Founder and CEO of N-Zyme Biomedical
“This financing provides the resources necessary to continue rigorously evaluating our novel therapeutic approach through well-designed clinical studies.”
“We remain committed to advancing the science and generating high-quality clinical evidence that we believe has the potential to meaningfully improve the lives of patients living with reflux disease.”
Dr. Nikki Johnston, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of N-Zyme Biomedical
