Kanna Health

Kanna Health, which has rebranded to Kadence Bio, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2021 by Lars Wilde, John Boghossian, and Thomas Pfeiffer. The company is focused on developing novel, fast-acting therapeutics to address unmet needs in sexual and mental health.

The company's lead candidate, KH-001, is a proprietary, on-demand drug being developed as a potential first FDA-approved treatment for premature ejaculation (PE). This condition is the most common form of male sexual dysfunction, affecting approximately 20% of men globally and is often associated with psychological distress like anxiety and depression. KH-001 is derived from alkaloids found in the Sceletium tortuosum plant, also known as kanna, which has been used for centuries for mood enhancement. In late 2023, Kanna Health received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK's MHRA to begin Phase 1 clinical trials for KH-001. The company successfully completed these Phase 1 safety studies in the third quarter of 2024 and plans to initiate Phase II trials in 2025.

Kanna Health, now operating as Kadence Bio, has a business model centered on the research, development, and eventual commercialization of its therapeutic compounds. Revenue will be generated through the sale of approved treatments. The company has raised $6.1M in funding and is backed by investors including Pangea Bio, Globivest, and Neo Kuma Ventures. The rebranding to Kadence Bio was a strategic move to create a distinct brand identity as it advances its clinical trials and pipeline, which also includes compounds targeting mood disorders.

Keywords: biopharmaceutical, sexual health, mental health, premature ejaculation treatment, clinical-stage, Sceletium tortuosum, KH-001, drug development, mood disorders, alkaloid therapeutics, Kadence Bio, FDA trials, MHRA approval, fast-acting therapeutics, neuropsychiatry