Kardigan Secures $254M Series B Funding to Advance Late-Stage Cardiovascular Assets

Kardigan, a nascent cardiovascular biotech company, has successfully raised $254 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total financing to over half a billion dollars. The investment will support the development of the company's late-stage clinical assets, positioning Kardigan as a significant player in the cardiovascular disease treatment landscape.

Funding Details and Investor Lineup

The Series B round saw participation from both existing and new investors. Arch Venture Partners and Sequoia Heritage, who had previously backed the company, were joined by newcomers Fidelity Management & Research Company and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Investment. This substantial influx of capital follows Kardigan's January launch, which was accompanied by an initial $300 million funding round.

Kardigan's Clinical Pipeline and Strategy

Kardigan's portfolio includes three key assets, each targeting root causes of cardiovascular diseases that currently lack effective treatments:

1. Danicamtiv: A cardiac myosin activator licensed from Bristol Myers Squibb, originally discovered by MyoKardia. It is being developed for certain forms of dilated cardiomyopathy.

2. Tonlamarsen: An acute severe hypertension candidate licensed from Ionis Pharmaceuticals.

3. Ataciguat: A guanylate cyclase activator from Sanofi and the Mayo Clinic, pursued for calcific aortic valve stenosis.

The company expects multiple readouts from these programs next year, underscoring its accelerated development timeline.

Leadership and Vision

Kardigan is led by a team of former MyoKardia executives, including co-founder, CEO, and chair Tassos Gianakakos. The company's approach, which Gianakakos refers to as "cardiac intelligence," aims to redefine cardiovascular therapeutic innovation by addressing diseases at their source rather than merely managing symptoms.

"The support of our new and existing investors affirms the strength of Kardigan's differentiated scientific strategy and bold vision to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world," Gianakakos stated.

This vision is further supported by Kardigan's acquisition of Prolaio, a cardiovascular data collection and analysis platform, in March. The integration of Prolaio's capabilities is expected to enhance Kardigan's understanding of heart health and accelerate its drug development efforts.