Elion nets $81M to fund development of antifungal with lower toxicity risks
2024-06-17
快速通道合格传染病产品临床1期
Elion Therapeutics has closed an $81-million series B round led by Deerfield Management and the AMR Action Fund to advance SF001, its Phase I polyene antifungal candidate engineered as a potentially less toxic analogue of the widely used medicine amphotericin B (AmB). Illinois Ventures also participated in the financing.
"The speed of development of SF001 to date has been impressive," said James Flynn, managing partner at Deerfield. "Fungal infections are a growing medical concern globally, and we have an opportunity with this therapeutic candidate to address millions of disease cases and preventable deaths that occur every year."
Specific targeting of fungal cells
Currently, only four classes of antifungal drugs are available, but drawbacks such as resistance, organ toxicities and drug interactions complicate treatment. AmB, a natural product widely used since the 1950s to treat various fungal infections, is known for its high efficacy, but also carries a significant risk of kidney impairment, occurring in up to 80% of patients. Elion – originally formed back in 2019 as Sfunga Therapeutics – says SF001 has been designed to mitigate these renal toxicities while maintaining potency through more specific targeting of fungal cells.
The fundraise comes amid growing recognition of the threat posed by invasive fungal infections and the need for new treatments. The World Health Organization recently identified four "critical group" pathogens that it considers a priority, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Candida auris and Cryptococcus neoformans.
In 2023, SF001 received qualified infectious disease product (QIDP) and fast-track designations from the FDA for early antifungal therapy of presumed invasive fungal disease and treatment of invasive aspergillosis. The drug, administered by intravenous infusion, has completed a first-in-human single-ascending dose study and is now being evaluated in a multiple-ascending dose trial. An oral formulation is currently in the feasibility phase, according to the company's website.
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