Clinical progression and €8M funding for Calypso Biotech

Calypso Biotech’s lead program, CALY-002, is a best-in-class therapeutic antibody that binds to and neutralizes interleukin-15 (IL-15). IL-15 controls immune pathways critically involved in disease onset and maintenance, as well as tissue destruction, in addition to its broad effect on inflammation. Targeting auto-immune diseases including Celiac Disease, Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Dermatology, CALY-002 has obtained Orphan Drug Designation status for EoE with the European Medicines Agency.

Now, the biotech company headquarters in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) with offices and laboratories in Geneva (Switzerland) has completed the dosing of the first Celiac Disease patient in the Phase 1 clinical trial of CALY-002. The ongoing clinical study of CALY-002 includes a single ascending dose in Healthy Volunteers, now successfully completed, as well as ascending dosing of cohorts of patients with Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis, two indications with significant unmet medical need where IL-15 plays a critical role.

Parallel to the clinical development, Calypso raised an additional €8M to the 2019 Series A round, bringing its total Series A financing to €28M from new and returning investors. Fountain HealthCare Partners joins renowned syndicate of Gilde Healthcare, Inkef Capital, Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc. (JJDC), and the company’s founding investor M Ventures. Ena Prosser from Fountain’s Dublin (Ireland) office has also joined the Board of Calypso Biotech.

The additional proceeds will be used to accelerate the development of CALY-002 in the core gastroenterology indications, further, de-risk the asset, and develop a solid translational package to support the development of CALY-002 in additional auto-immune disease indications.

(Press release/RAN)