Dutch startup Citryll, a biotech innovator in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, has raised €85 million in a Series B funding round.
The financing was co-led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation (through its corporate venture capital organisation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.), Forbion, and Novartis Venture Fund, with additional contributions from Pureos Bioventures and existing investors including BioGeneration Ventures, Seventure Partners, BOM, Curie Capital, and Citryll’s founders.
Eduardo Bravo, Chief Executive Officer of Citryll, expressed optimism about the future: “Securing funding from such a fantastic range of global life sciences investors, who share our excitement for the potential of CIT-013, strengthens the next steps for our clinical development program. We believe our NET-targeting approach, developed by the company founders Renato Chirivi, Helmuth van Es, and the late Jos Raats, has the potential to be beneficial in conditions where current therapies fall short. As we move forward with our clinical trials, we’re excited about the possibility of providing a more effective treatment option for patients who have long struggled with inadequate disease control.”
Founded in Oss, Citryll aims to redefine treatment options in inflammatory diseases by pioneering the first therapy targeting Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs). This approach could open the door to a new class of therapeutics with wide-ranging applications in immune-mediated inflammatory disorders.
The funding will advance the clinical development of Citryll’s lead product, CIT-013, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting NETs, a fundamental component of the inflammatory process that has yet to be addressed therapeutically. NETs are web-like structures composed of DNA, histones, and antimicrobial proteins, released by neutrophils to trap and degrade pathogens. Excessive NET formation can contribute to tissue damage and chronic inflammation in various immune-mediated inflammatory disorders.
Having completed successful Phase 1 trials, including repeat dosing in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, Citryll plans Phase 2a trials for CIT-013 in RA and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). These trials aim to confirm the therapy’s efficacy in diseases where current treatments often fail to provide adequate control. The NET-targeting approach also holds potential for broader applications in immune-mediated inflammatory conditions.
By addressing this key driver of inflammation, CIT-013 has the potential to offer a differentiated and comprehensive treatment option for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa.
The Series B financing brings new board appointments, with Geert-Jan Mulder, Managing Partner at Forbion, Florian Muellershausen, Managing Director at Novartis Venture Fund, and a representative of Johnson & Johnson Innovation joining as non-executive directors.
Geert-Jan Mulder commented on the impact of Citryll’s work: “Citryll’s progress highlights the potential of a novel NET-targeting therapy to address significant unmet needs in inflammatory disorders, offering hope for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa, where many patients lack adequate disease control. Together with new and existing investors we are proud to support the outstanding team to further advance this truly differentiated program into clinical development for inflammatory disorders.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/12/oss-based-citryll-secures-e85-million-series-b-funding-to-advance-net-targeting-therapy/
