Syntis Bio Closes $38 Million Financing to Accelerate Oral Therapies for Obesity and Rare Diseases
Capital from the Series A financing and grant funding will advance development of SYNT, an orally delivered, transient polymer coating for the small intestine that controls nutrient uptake, enhances gut-restricted enzyme efficacy and increases systemic drug absorption for up to 24 hours. The funding also enables the advancement of lead program SYNT-101 through Phase 1 studies as a once-daily treatment for obesity, as well as initiation of Phase 1 studies for SYNT-202, a first-in-class oral enzyme therapy for homocystinuria, a rare pediatric amino acid disorder. To date, SYNT-101 has demonstrated strong pre-clinical safety and weight loss data, as well as clinical advancements in safety, mechanism of action and pathways for controlling weight.
'We're grateful for the continued support and enthusiasm of our new and existing investors, who share our vision to revolutionize both chronic and rare disease treatment through safe, effective oral therapies,' said Rahul Dhanda, CEO and co-founder of Syntis Bio. "This oversubscribed Series A round coupled with these non-dilutive grants validates and accelerates the promise of SYNT-101 in obesity and, more broadly, our SYNT platform technology to unlock the small intestine's full therapeutic potential to meaningfully improve human health.'
Syntis also announced the addition of two members to the company's Board of Directors, Chenny Zhang, director at Cerberus Ventures, and Michael Nannizzi, director of investments at W. R. Berkley. Mr. Dhanda added, 'I'm thrilled to welcome Chenny and Michael to our board. Michael has actively advised Syntis since our early days, reflecting W. R. Berkley's consistent strategic support, and adding Chenny augments the strong foundation we have built. Her extensive life sciences experience at Cerberus Ventures and previously at In-Q-Tel will be invaluable as Syntis Bio enters our next growth phase focused on strategic partnerships and platform innovation.'
'While high-cost, complex development processes continue to limit many Americans' access to essential medicines, Syntis' SYNT platform represents a fundamentally novel approach to the oral delivery of biologics. We believe SYNT, with its breakthrough technology and platform potential, is poised to significantly expand patient access and redefine what is possible in drug delivery,' said Ms. Zhang. 'I look forward to working closely with the team to realize the full potential of their disruptive platform and pipeline.'
About SYNT-101
SYNT-101 is being developed as a once-daily pill for the treatment of obesity. SYNT-101 works by transiently blocking nutrient absorption in the duodenum, the upper part of the small intestine, and redirecting nutrients to the distal small intestine to stimulate the natural secretion of satiety and metabolism-regulating hormones, including GLP-1. This mechanism, known as duodenal nutrient exclusion, is a key contributor to the efficacy of gastric bypass surgery, which remains the gold standard for weight loss and metabolic disease management. Recent preclinical data demonstrated 100% preservation of lean muscle mass with consistent 1% weekly weight loss in rodent models, while first-in-human data showed that SYNT-101 demonstrated strong evidence of nutrient redirection and satiety hormone modulation. Importantly, SYNT-101 displayed strong safety and tolerability across both studies, with no adverse events reported.
About SYNT™ Technology
SYNT-101 leverages the power of SYNT™ (SYN thetic T issue-lining) oral therapeutic technology that optimizes therapeutic effects in the small intestine, the body's nexus for metabolic control, digestion and drug absorption. SYNT uses mussel-inspired polymer chemistry to deliver a safe, transient polydopamine coating to catalase-rich tissues, like the duodenum. After successful deployment in the gastrointestinal tract, the polydopamine lining is sustained for up to 24 hours, after which it is naturally and safely cleared from the body. SYNT is highly versatile and can achieve a variety of therapeutic effects. In addition to nutrient exclusion, SYNT can be engineered to install and sustain gut-restricted enzymes in the small bowel, enhance the oral bioavailability of drugs, and target new tissues throughout the body. Data from more than 100 preclinical pig studies conducted by MIT and Syntis demonstrate that SYNT can achieve 70% glucose blocking, 20 times improved enzyme activity, and 4-10 times increased oral drug bioavailability.
About Syntis Bio
Syntis Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral therapies that harness the small intestine's unique biology to provide more accessible, effective and sustainable solutions across the healthcare spectrum, from rare genetic disorders to the world's most prevalent conditions. Syntis is rapidly advancing a pipeline of oral therapies engineered for targeted activity in the small intestine, the body's nexus for metabolic control, digestion and drug absorption. Alongside its lead obesity program, SYNT-101, the company is advancing a portfolio of therapies targeting orphan metabolic diseases and intestinal-related disorders. Syntis is headquartered in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit www.syntis.bio and follow us on LinkedIn.
NIH Grant Acknowledgment
Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R44DK138869 and R44DK141341. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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