Salubris Biotherapeutics Announces $35 Million Financing to Advance Development Activities and Provides Pipeline Updates

Salubris Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing novel complex biologic therapeutics, has announced it received $35 million in financing from China-based Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals. The investment will be used to advance and accelerate lead candidate JK07, including the planned initiation of the first Phase 2 study in HFrEF, the continuation of the ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and the launch of the Company’s first neurology clinical trial with JK07. The financing will also support the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial of JK08 in solid tumors and advance JK06, a pre-clinical biparatopic antibody-drug conjugate, into an initial Phase 1/2 study.

“We’re thrilled about the progress we made in 2022, particularly completing enrollment in the Phase 1b study of JK07 in HFrEF. The study achieved its objective of characterizing the safety and activity of the molecule and defining the therapeutic window. We’re excited to now turn our focus towards initiating a Phase 2 study this year,” said Sam Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of SalubrisBio. “We look forward to multiple additional milestones across our pipeline in the year ahead, including interim data readouts from JK07 in HFpEF and JK08 in solid tumors, and initiation of an initial clinical trial evaluating JK07 in neurodegenerative disease.”

JK07 Advancing into Phase 2

Patient dosing has been completed in the Phase 1b clinical trial assessing the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and exploratory efficacy of JK07 in HFrEF. This study demonstrated robust changes in biomarkers and exploratory efficacy parameters at dose levels that were safe and well tolerated. Topline results are planned to be presented at an upcoming medical meeting. The first Phase 2 study is expected to begin in 2H of 2023. A second Phase 1b study in HFpEF is actively enrolling, with interim results expected in the second half of 2023.