With data from nine-patient study, VectivBio raises $125M ahead of lead program's big readout
Summary
Vec\xadtivBio now has $125 mil\xadlion more to work with.The Basel, Switzer\xadland-based biotech re\xadport\xaded the raise just 20 min\xadutes af\xadter it dropped ear\xadly da\xadta from a small, open-la\xadbel study on its lead can\xaddi\xaddate, apraglu\xadtide, a GLP2 ag\xado\xadnist for short bow\xadel syn\xaddrome with in\xadtesti\xadnal fail\xadure, or SBS-IF, a rare con\xaddi\xadtion in which the body cant ab\xadsorb enough nu\xadtri\xadents be\xadcause the in\xadtestines are too short.The open-la\xadbel, Phase II study in ques\xadtion on\xadly en\xadrolled nine pa\xadtients with SBS-IF and colon in con\xadti\xadnu\xadity, a sub\xadgroup of pa\xadtients that Vec\xadtivBio CEO Lu\xadca Santarel\xadli dubbed the un\xadder\xadserved ma\xadjor\xadi\xadty.Five of the nine pa\xadtients had been on week\xadly apraglu\xadtide treat\xadment for at least six months, and four had been on it for at least three months. Av\xader\xadage par\xadenter\xadal sup\xadport vol\xadume the amount of food in\xadfused through IV de\xadcreased by 50% in the five-pa\xadtient group at six months and 31% in all pa\xadtients at three months.Of the five pa\xadtients on treat\xadment for at least six months, four were count\xaded as clin\xadi\xadcal re\xadspon\xadders, with one pa\xadtient who on\xadly saw a 19% re\xadduc\xadtion in par\xadenter\xadal sup\xadport vol\xadume just bare\xadly miss\xading the bar for clin\xadi\xadcal re\xadsponse, which is a 20% de\xadcrease.The main aim of the Phase II study was to char\xadac\xadter\xadize a sub\xadset of pa\xadtients which are, we be\xadlieve, un\xadder\xadserved, and for which there is less in\xadfor\xadma\xadtion, less da\xadta in the pub\xadlic do\xadmain in terms of their re\xadsponse to a GLP2 ag\xado\xadnist, Santarel\xadli told End\xadpoints News.We be\xadlieve this is the most im\xadpor\xadtant sub\xadset be\xadcause they have the largest op\xadpor\xadtu\xadni\xadties to re\xadduce par\xadenter\xadal sup\xadport and even be\xadcome en\xadtire\xadly au\xadtonomous, which means stop us\xading in\xadfu\xadsions to sur\xadvive. So thats why we de\xadcid\xaded to study these pa\xadtients sep\xada\xadrate\xadly, he con\xadtin\xadued.The topline six-month da\xadta for this study will be read out in the com\xading months, but more im\xadpor\xadtant\xadly for Vec\xadtivBio is its Phase III read\xadout on the wider pop\xadu\xadla\xadtion of SBS-IF pa\xadtients due in a year.A host of in\xadvestors joined in on Vec\xadtivBios raise, in\xadclud\xading Cowen, Driehaus Cap\xadi\xadtal Man\xadage\xadment, Even\xadtide As\xadset Man\xadage\xadment, For\xadbions Growth Op\xadpor\xadtu\xadni\xadties Fund, Fra\xadzier Life Sci\xadences, Mar\xadshall Wace, Or\xadbiMed, Citadels Sur\xadvey\xador Cap\xadi\xadtal, TCG X, Ven\xadrock Health\xadcare Cap\xadi\xadtal Part\xadners and Vi\xadvo Cap\xadi\xadtal.Santarel\xadli said the mon\xadey would go to\xadward prepar\xading Vec\xadtivBio for hav\xading as strong as pos\xadsi\xadble of a launch, es\xadpe\xadcial\xadly in the US, for apraglu\xadtide in SBS-IF, in\xadclud\xading any ad\xaddi\xadtion\xadal stud\xadies need\xaded. He al\xadso not\xaded that the biotech would be push\xading its lead can\xaddi\xaddate in\xadto oth\xader in\xaddi\xadca\xadtions, start\xading with graft ver\xadsus host dis\xadease.Santarel\xadli spun Vec\xadtivBio out of Ther\xada\xadchon, tak\xading apraglu\xadtide with him, when he sold Ther\xada\xadchon to Pfiz\xader for $340 mil\xadlion up\xadfront in a deal that cen\xadtered around the biotechs dwarfism treat\xadment.