Retension Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has completed a $15 million Series B financing round. The funding will support a Phase 2b clinical trial for its lead drug candidate, RTN-001, which is designed to treat uncontrolled and resistant hypertension.
The company also announced the issuance of a new U.S. patent, which extends protection for RTN-001 through at least 2044.
RTN-001 is a unique PDE5 inhibitor designed to target central cardiovascular arteries to regulate blood pressure. The upcoming Phase 2b trial, scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2025, will enroll approximately 280 patients to assess the drug’s efficacy and safety over 12 weeks. This new formulation is designed to provide sustained, once-daily blood pressure reduction.
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“We are thrilled by the strong support from both new and existing investors who share our commitment to addressing one of the most persistent challenges in cardiovascular medicine. This financing enables us to move into mid-stage clinical development with a formulation specifically designed to maintain 24-hour blood pressure control allowing for once-daily dosing, which could offer a meaningful advantage for patients with uncontrolled and resistant hypertension. There is a substantial need for new hypertension therapies. RTN-001 has the potential to combine durable efficacy with ease of use from a class of drugs with a large, existing safety and tolerability track record. We are advancing an investigational therapy that aims to address all three factors, and which can be used in combination with existing hypertension drugs.”
Eric Keller, Retension Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Executive Officer
“Patients with uncontrolled and resistant hypertension remain at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, and current treatment options often fall short in both efficacy and tolerability. RTN-001 has the potential to address this unmet need and could represent a meaningful advancement in how we manage treatment-resistant hypertension.”
Dr. Luke Laffin, Co-Director of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at Cleveland Clinic
