With the transaction, Kriya now own Tramontane’s FGF21 assets, including the latter’s adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector programme, designed to express a steady level of the native FGF21 protein
Kriya acquires Tramontane and its FGF21 assets portfolio. (Credit: julien Tromeur on Unsplash)
Biopharmaceutical company Kriya Therapeutics has acquired gene therapy company Tramontane Therapeutics and its portfolio of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) assets.
Tramontane, a spin-out from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), is engaged in the development of metabolic and neurodegenerative disease treatment. It is now wholly owned by Kriya Therapeutics.
With the transaction, the biopharmaceutical firm now owns Tramontane’s FGF21 assets, including the latter’s adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector programme, designed to express a steady level of the native FGF21 protein.
According to the biopharmaceutical firm, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which Kriya has targeted as its FGF21 programme, has been identified as a clinically validated biological target of FGF21.
NASH is said to be the most severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is a disorder in which the liver develops excessive fat deposits that harm liver cells and cause inflammation.
Both firms consider a one-time intramuscular AAV gene therapy intended to express native FGF21 protein to be an innovative method of NASH treatment.
The method is said to have superior efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profiles to existing products under development, Kriya said.
Kriya co-founder and CEO Shankar Ramaswamy said: “We are very impressed with the data associated with the Tramontane FGF21 programme, which has consistently established strong efficacy and durability across multiple validated animal models of obesity and NASH.
“The addition of Tramontane’s FGF21 program strategically aligns with our Metabolic Disease portfolio which also includes a one-time gene therapy candidate for insulin-dependent diabetes.”
By the first half of 2025, Kriya expects to advance its NASH gene therapy candidate into the clinic.
The acquisition marks the firm’s entry into the NASH sector. The company added more than $150m in capital committed as part of its Series C financing, bringing the total Series C round to over $430m.
Tramontane Therapeutics co-founder, president, and chief scientific advisor Fátima Bosch said: “People with NASH are in desperate need of better treatment options and FGF21 is a clinically-validated target for preventing fibrosis in this disease.
“With the ongoing research that continues in this disease, including innovative approaches like gene therapy, the future outlook for NASH treatments has markedly improved.”