CALDRE obtains the CHF 150,000 Kick to develop innovative liver disease therapeutics

Liver diseases are becoming more common, with cholestasis—a condition where bile flow from the liver is blocked—posing a serious health risk. This condition, caused by factors like autoimmune disorders and lifestyle choices, places extreme stress on the liver, potentially leading to severe damage. Cholestasis accounts for 10% of all liver transplants, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatments.

The CALDRE team led by Felix Baier, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern and Inselspital Bern, identified a novel approach to address cholestasis, which targets the liver directly. Their therapy has demonstrated the ability to prevent liver damage in preclinical models, an approach offering hope for 370,000 patients with chronic cholestasis conditions who do not respond to existing treatments.

CALDRE is committed to transforming the treatment landscape for liver diseases, aiming to treat nearly 100,000 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in Europe and the USA and expand to over 40,000 patients in China. It also targets 230,000 patients with primary biliary cholangitis unresponsive to first-line treatments.  With an estimated market value of USD 3–USD 6 billion annually for PSC, driven by a treatment cost of $125,000 per patient, the potential is significant.

CALDRE will employ the CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to validate its new lead therapeutic candidate and perform a comprehensive off-target analysis. This optimization will serve as the basis for new intellectual property. The funds will also support regulatory advisory meetings and international travel to attract partners and investors. 

CALDRE’s team consists of Dr. Felix Baier, Dr. Adrian Keogh, Dr. Tarik Elamri, and Corina Krummenacher. Together, they combine their expertise in drug and business development to advance a lead therapeutic candidate towards clinical studies. CALDRE is also advised by experts in hepatobiliary diseases and drug development, including Prof. Deborah Stroka, Prof. Daniel Candinas, and Dr. Nicolas Melin.

“Continuing the entrepreneurial journey with the support of Venture Kick has enabled CALDRE to achieve several key milestones, including a freedom-to-operate analysis and the creation of a regulatory plan for preclinical development,” highlighted Felix Baier.

(Press release / SK)