Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) consists of an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver that is not caused by excessive alcohol intake. It causes processes of cell death, inflammation, and fibrosis. Without adequate treatment, it can worsen into more serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer in adults. It is estimated that 25% of the world's population has some type of NASH.
The biopharmaceutical company Kintsugi Therapeutics, based in Barcelona, is developing a drug to treat this disease and has just raised one million euros through the Capital Cell platform to accelerate this process, with the participation of local investors. The resources obtained will allow it to carry out the regulatory studies of the drug and its production, with the aim of obtaining approval from regulatory agencies and being able to carry out phase 1 clinical studies in early 2023.
Until now, the company had managed to raise a total of 691,000 euros, which has served to patent the drug and carry out studies with animals. In the coming years, the biopharmaceutical Kintsugi Therapeutics plans to close two more rounds. By the end of 2022, it wants to raise 3.5 million euros in a Series A round. This will serve to finance phase 1 trials. Likewise, by the end of 2023, it expects to open a Series B round of 16.5 million euros, which will allow it to finance phase 2 and 3 trials. Once phase 2 clinical studies have been completed, licensing the drug or selling the company is contemplated.
Currently, there is no treatment to cure NASH. According to the CEO of Kintsugi Therapeutics, Carmen Herrero, the differential value of their drug compared to others being developed is that it acts in a multifactorial way, "the only way to treat NASH." Specifically, it inhibits the different problems caused by this disease, such as fatty acid formation, cell death, and inflammation.
Established in 2019, the company, in a preclinical stage, is focused on the development of drugs for the treatment of metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, "restoring what does not work." Based in Barcelona, the staff consists of four employees.