Oversubscribed round enables late-stage clinical development of lead
candidate, a micro-RNA-132 inhibitor, in heart failure and further accelerates
pipeline expansion
Hanover, Germany, August 25, 2021 – Cardior Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotech
company developing non-coding RNA (ncRNA)-based therapeutics for patients with cardiac
diseases, announced today the closing of a €64 million ($76 million) Series B financing round.
The round was led by Inkef Capital, supported by fellow new investors Fund+, Sunstone,
Hadean Ventures and Coparion with participation from existing investors including LSP,
BioMedPartners, Bristol Myers Squibb and High-Tech Gründerfonds.
“We believe ncRNAs can fundamentally change the treatment of heart disease by preventing,
repairing and reversing damage to cardiac tissue. We thank our new and existing investors for
their support and their confidence in our ability to achieve our goal,” said Dr. Claudia Ulbrich,
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Cardior. “This substantial funding, provided by
leading biotech investors, validates the strength of our RNA approach and our team. We
welcome our new directors and look forward to working closely with our board as we continue
our rapid progress toward the start of the Phase 2 trial with our lead program CDR132L, which
has the potential to demonstrate clinical proof-of-concept as a transformative heart disease
treatment and to set the stage for the emergence of a new class of medicines.”
In conjunction with the financing, representatives from Inkef Capital, Fund+ and Sunstone will
join the Company’s Advisory Board. The full composition of the Board can be found under the
following link.
The Series B proceeds will be used to fund the late-stage clinical development of Cardior’s
lead program and the expansion of the company’s earlier-stage pipeline. Lead candidate
CDR132L is an oligonucleotide-based ncRNA inhibitor targeting micro-RNA-132. micro-RNAs
are endogenous molecules that function as cellular regulators and their dysregulation
contributes to the development of many diseases including cardiovascular diseases. Cardior’s
lead program is intended to block the abnormal cardiac levels of micro-RNA-132 in heart failure
patients thereby triggering a concerted therapeutic effect against key hallmarks of heart
disease including cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, impaired contractility and reduced
vascularization. Cardior’s approach is applicable to a broad range of heart diseases as
represented in its development pipeline, which addresses large cardiac indications as well as
rare diseases such as hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies.
“Heart diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, causing a massive burden on
patients, their families and global healthcare systems,” added Dr. Simone Botti, Junior
Partner at Inkef. “Cardior’s RNA approach has shown an encouraging safety and efficacy
profile in its initial clinical read-out and has the potential to provide a true disease modifying
therapy to patients. We are excited to support Cardior on its continued progress advancing the
first ncRNA-therapeutic towards commercialization.”
“Cardior is on an exciting trajectory which is reflected in the Series B syndicate. I look forward
to working with the incoming investors as we leverage the current momentum in the RNA
therapy field to position Cardior for success,” said Dr. Karin Kleinhans, Partner at LSP
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About CDR132L
CDR132L is a highly stable water-soluble oligonucleotide ncRNA inhibitor directed to block
aberrant micro-RNA-132 levels and thereby reverses the cellular pathology and restores
normal function in cardiomyocytes, contributing to improved cardiac systemic and diastolic
function in patients with heart failure (HF). CDR132L has completed Phase 1b development
demonstrating a favorable safety profile and beneficial cardiac effects in 28 HF patients.
Cardior is currently initiating a Phase II clinical trial of the antisense drug.
About Cardior
Cardior Pharmaceuticals is a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the
discovery and development of RNA-based therapeutics designed to prevent, repair and
reverse diseases of the heart. Cardior’s therapeutic approach uses distinctive non-coding
RNAs as an innovative platform for addressing the root causes of cardiac dysfunctions. The
company aspires to bring transformative therapeutics and diagnostics to patients and thereby
make a lasting impact on the treatment of cardiac diseases worldwide.
About INKEF Capital
INKEF Capital is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, backing promising early-stage
companies in Europe. INKEF takes pride in being a patient, long-term investor with the ability
to support companies through several rounds of funding. From the early stages of a technology
or life science venture, INKEF Capital supports entrepreneurs building their ideas into
successful international businesses. For more information, please visit: https://www.inkefcapital.com/.
About LSP
LSP is one of the largest European investment firms providing financing for life sciences and
health care companies. LSP’s management has raised over €2.7 billion ($3.2 billion) and
supported the growth of 300 companies since it started to invest in 1988, including signature
deals such as argenx, Crucell and Neuravi. With offices in Amsterdam, Munich and Boston,
LSP currently has the possibility to invest through five strategies, each having a distinctive
investment scope and a dedicated team: LSP 6 invests in private early- to late-stage drug
development and medical technology companies; LSP HEF 2 focuses on private late-stage
medical technology companies; the LSP Dementia Fund invests in companies targeting
neurodegenerative diseases; LSP Public targets public healthcare companies; and EBAC is
the first healthcare SPAC to exclusively focus on European biotech. LSP is an active
contributor to the global life sciences industry and the European life science eco-system by
assuming for-profit and not-for-profit roles as initiators, founders and board members in various
private and public bodies and organizations, for example being founder and board member of
the Oncode Institute. For more information: lspvc.com.
Contact Cardior
Dr. Claudia Ulbrich / Barbara Gaertner-Rupprecht
Cardior Pharmaceuticals GmbH
Feodor-Lynen-Str. 15
30625 Hanover
Germany
Tel: +49 511 33 85 99 30
Media Inquiries
Trophic Communications
Dr. Stephanie May or Charlotte Spitz
Phone: +49 (0) 171 35 12 733
[email protected]