Tempero Bio

Tempero Bio, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company established in 2020, headquartered in Oakland, California. The company was formed as a collaboration between the investment firm Aditum Bio and the pharmaceutical company Sosei Heptares (now Nxera Pharma). Aditum Bio, co-founded by former Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez and former President of Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Dr. Mark Fishman, created Tempero Bio to in-license and advance a portfolio of drug candidates from Nxera. This strategic formation provided Tempero with exclusive global rights to a portfolio of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) negative allosteric modulator (NAM) molecules developed by Nxera. In return, Nxera received an upfront payment and a strategic equity stake in Tempero.

The company's primary focus is on developing treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs), a market with significant unmet needs. Tempero Bio is advancing its lead drug candidate, TMP-301, a potent, orally available mGluR5 NAM. This molecule is designed to address the underlying neurobiology of addiction by modulating excessive glutamate signaling in the brain, a mechanism implicated in a range of neurological disorders. The business model centers on advancing these drug candidates through clinical trials to gain regulatory approval and eventual commercialization. Revenue generation is anticipated through future product sales, with a structure that includes success-based milestone payments and tiered royalties to its partner, Nxera.

Tempero Bio's lead product, TMP-301, aims to prevent relapse in patients with various addictions. The company is initially targeting alcohol use disorder (AUD) and cocaine use disorder (CUD). Preclinical studies have shown promise for TMP-301 in models of alcohol, cocaine, and opiate use disorders. Following this, a Phase 1 study involving over 80 healthy volunteers demonstrated an acceptable safety and tolerability profile. The company has received significant financial backing, including a March 2025 Series B financing round of $70 million led by 8VC, with participation from Aditum Bio and Khosla Ventures. These funds are allocated to advance TMP-301 through two Phase 2 clinical trials for AUD and CUD. The company has already initiated the Phase 2 study for alcohol use disorder and plans to start the cocaine study within the next year.

Keywords: Tempero Bio, biopharmaceutical, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, TMP-301, mGluR5 NAM, clinical-stage, alcohol use disorder, cocaine use disorder, Aditum Bio, Nxera Pharma, Joe Jimenez, Ricardo Dolmetsch, venture capital, Series B, neurobiology, glutamate signaling, drug development, clinical trials, pharmaceutical licensing, CNS disorders