USA — Bitterroot Bio, a biotechnology company focused on leveraging immune modulation to treat cardiovascular disease, has emerged from stealth with a substantial US$145 million Series A financing round.
The funding was co-led by ARCH Venture Partners and Deerfield Management, with notable participation from GV, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Alexandria Venture Investments, and other investors.
The company, founded in 2021, aims to address the critical roles of immune cells and inflammation modulators in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.
At the core of Bitterroot Bio’s research is their lead program, BRB-002, which targets the CD47/SIRPα pathway.
This innovative approach aims to tackle the underlying dysfunction contributing to atherosclerosis, a key factor in cardiovascular disease.
Despite cardiovascular disease claiming nearly 18 million lives annually worldwide—almost double the number lost to cancer—there has been a notable scarcity of breakthrough heart medicines and dedicated startups in recent years, despite significant advancements in our understanding of the disease’s impact on the cardiovascular system.
Studies highlighted on Bitterroot Bio’s website have shown promising results, suggesting that blocking CD47 can enhance the activity of macrophages, crucial immune cells, and reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Notably, unbiased high-throughput genetics screenings conducted by Nick Leeper’s lab at Stanford University have revealed that the heritable components of cardiovascular disease are predominantly linked to dysregulated inflammatory pathways in the blood vessel wall, which impede the efferocytosis process.
Efferocytosis refers to the immune cells’ ability to dispose of diseased or dead cells, and its disruption plays a significant role in disease progression.
Bitterroot Bio firmly believes that developing novel, safe, and effective anti-CD47 therapies has the potential to slow down or even prevent plaque formation, addressing a critical aspect of cardiovascular disease management.
Recognizing the urgent need for safe and effective therapies to address the immense global health burden posed by cardiovascular disease, Bitterroot Bio’s president and CEO, Pavan Cheruvu, emphasizes the significance of their research and development efforts.
Cheruvu expresses confidence in the company’s chief medical officer, Craig Basson, who brings a wealth of experience from his previous leadership in cardiovascular drug development programs at Novartis.
With Basson at the helm, Bitterroot Bio is poised to advance its pipeline and bring its innovative treatments closer to reality.
Bitterroot Bio’s founders, including renowned individuals in the field of biotechnology such as Nick Leeper and Irv Weissman, have played instrumental roles in the establishment of the company.
Their prior venture, Forty Seven, focused on anti-CD47 antibodies for cancer treatment, caught the attention of Gilead Sciences, which acquired the company for an impressive US$4.9 billion in 2020.
Notably, Forty Seven’s antibody magrolimab demonstrated more than just tumor shrinkage during its first-in-human trials—it also showcased the potential to lower inflammation in blood vessels and improve metabolic activity in carotid arteries, providing further validation for CD47 as a therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease.
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