Renasant Bio Raises $54.5M to Develop Novel ADPKD Treatments, Taking Cues from Cystic Fibrosis Approach

Renasant Bio, a newly launched biotechnology company, has secured $54.5 million in seed funding to develop innovative treatments for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The company's approach draws inspiration from successful cystic fibrosis therapies, focusing on "corrector" and "potentiator" drugs to address the underlying causes of ADPKD.

Seed Funding and Company Launch

Renasant Bio's substantial seed round was led by a group of prominent investors, including 5AM Ventures, Atlas Venture, OrbiMed, and Qiming Venture Partners USA. The company, founded by University of California, San Francisco professors Jeremy Reiter and Markus Delling, is now headed by Emily Conley, a former executive at Federation Bio and 23AndMe.

"Renasant has assembled the right team, with years of research experience in polycystic disease that has informed the right scientific approach," said Deborah Palestrant, a partner at 5AM, which incubated the biotech.

Novel Approach to ADPKD Treatment

ADPKD, a rare kidney condition affecting an estimated 12 million people worldwide, has seen limited treatment options to date. Renasant Bio aims to change this landscape by applying lessons learned from cystic fibrosis drug development.

Emily Conley, CEO of Renasant Bio, explained the company's strategy: "What a corrector does is it helps that misfolded protein fold properly. Once the protein gets into the right shape, then it can go where it needs to go, and then the potentiator holds the channel open."

The company's lead drug candidate, currently in preclinical testing, is a small molecule corrector designed to work across various ADPKD-causing mutations. Renasant is also developing a potentiator that could be used in combination with the corrector to prevent cyst formation and growth in the kidneys.

"We know what's broken," Conley added. "If we can fix it with correctors and potentiators, then we could have this very dramatic effect on patient outcomes."

Competitive Landscape and Industry Interest

Renasant Bio enters a field that has seen both setbacks and renewed interest from major pharmaceutical companies. While Otsuka's Jynarque, approved in 2018, remains one of the few treatment options for ADPKD patients, other companies have faced challenges in drug development.

Sanofi halted clinical testing of its ADPKD drug candidate, venglustat, in 2021 following negative study results. However, industry interest in the disease remains high, as evidenced by Novartis' recent $800 million acquisition of Regulus Therapeutics and its experimental therapy, farabursen.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, known for its success in cystic fibrosis treatments, is also developing a drug for ADPKD, further highlighting the potential for cross-disease insights in rare genetic conditions.