NeRRe Therapeutics

NeRRe Therapeutics is a British clinical-stage biotechnology company developing neurokinin (NK) receptor antagonists to treat chronic conditions caused by neuronal hypersensitivity. Founded in 2012 as a spin-out from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), NeRRe Therapeutics inherited GSK's entire NK antagonist portfolio, including associated intellectual property, clinical data, and safety packages. The company is headquartered at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst in the UK.

The company was co-founded by Emiliangelo Ratti and Dr. Mike Trower. The management team includes CEO Dr. Mary Kerr, who previously served as SVP and Global Franchise lead at GSK, and CSO/COO Dr. Mike Trower, who was formerly VP & Head of the External Drug Discovery Group in the Neurosciences CEDD at GSK. This leadership team also successfully sold a sister company, KaNDy Therapeutics, to Bayer in 2020.

NeRRe's primary focus is on its lead candidate, orvepitant, a potent and selective NK-1 receptor antagonist. This once-daily oral tablet is being developed as a first-in-class treatment for chronic cough, particularly in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a rare and fatal lung disease for which there are no approved cough treatments. IPF is an orphan disease in both the US and Europe. Orvepitant works by blocking the NK-1 receptor to reduce the neural hypersensitivity that underlies the cough reflex. Clinical studies have shown that orvepitant can reduce the burden of chronic cough. A Phase 2b study, VOLCANO-2, demonstrated that a 30mg dose led to significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes related to cough burden. The company has completed a Phase 2 trial evaluating orvepitant for chronic cough in IPF patients (NCT05185089).

NeRRe Therapeutics operates on a drug development business model, focusing on advancing its assets through clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Its financial strategy relies on venture capital funding to support its research and development activities. The company has successfully raised significant capital through multiple funding rounds, including a Series A round in 2012, a Series B round in 2017 for approximately $28.5M, and a Series B2 round in 2021 for about $27.7M, bringing its total funding to over $74M. Key investors include Advent Life Sciences, Columbus Venture Partners, Forbion, Fountain Healthcare Partners, and OrbiMed.

Keywords: neurokinin antagonist, orvepitant, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic cough, neuronal hypersensitivity, NK-1 receptor, clinical-stage, drug development, orphan disease, respiratory medicine, GSK spin-out, refractory cough, substance P, patient reported outcomes, small molecule drug, clinical trials