Biotech start-up secures US$38m to advance reproductive immunotherapies

Freya is developing microbial immunotherapies aimed at relieving the chronic inflammation underlying a range of reproductive system diseases uniquely afflicting women.

The company aims to speed up the clinical development of its drug candidate, an investigational vaginal microbial immunotherapeutic, for the treatment of infertility in women with dysbiotic vaginal microbiota who are undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).

The funding is hoped to help the start-up advance its data science platform, which includes deep microbiome sequencing and multiplexed immune biomarker profiling in human clinical samples.

“Conditions that disproportionately and differently affect women have traditionally been underfunded in proportion to its burden on human health,” said Colleen Acosta, co-founder and CEO of Freya Biosciences.

“Freya’s focus is on the millions of couples around the world who are struggling with infertility. This funding enables us to advance our groundbreaking immunotherapy platform targeting the vaginal microbiota and unlock its therapeutic potential in this area and beyond.”

She added: “We are very excited to announce this funding round, with the support of this dedicated team of investors.”

Led by Sofinnova Partners and OMX Ventures, the round included The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, Angelini Ventures, Mike Jafar Family Office, CE-Ventures, Corundum Systems Biology and Indaco Venture Partners.

Henrijette Richter, managing partner at Sofinnova Partners, said: “Freya’s team of experts are uniquely positioned to shape a more comprehensive understanding of women’s health and disease to advance innovative solutions and novel treatment paradigms and we are confident in their success.

“We look forward to supporting Freya as they continue to advance microbial immunotherapies to address reproductive health issues for which there are no treatments available.”

Nick Haft, CEO of OMX Ventures, added: “OMX is proud to support Freya’s mission in women’s health and excited for Freya’s promising initial clinical results.

“We invest in trailblazing companies and Freya’s platform using microbial immunotherapies, supported by recent positive topline clinical results, has the potential to address a range of health conditions that uniquely affect women.”