Erlosiban

ReproNovo, a biotechnology company specializing in reproductive medicine, has raised $65 million to advance two drugs it thinks could help address fertility issues in men and women.The Switzerland-based firm plans to use the new funds to run Phase 2 clinical trials of the drugs. The first, called leflutrozole, is designed to treat infertility in men with low testosterone, while the second, nolasiban, will be studied in women with a gynecological disorder called adenomyosis and as an adjunctive therapy alongside assisted reproductive technologies.We are here to fill the critical gaps for patients in reproductive medicine and womens health, Jean Maire Duvall, CEO and co-founder of ReproNovo, told BioPharma Dive.Founded in 2021, ReproNovo gained rights to the candidates through licensing deals with Mereo BioPharma and ObsEva, respectively.Leflutrozole is a small molecule that works by blocking an enzyme called aromatase. This effect, ReproNovo says, could help stabilize levels of testosterone and address male infertility. Some research has raised concerns about declines in male reproductive health, as fertility rates among women in the U.S. have also fallen.Although infertility impacts both men and women, the pressure and responsibility for solving the issue often falls on the woman. Wed like to offer an alternative where the male could be treated directly, said Duvall.Nolasiban blocks oxytocin receptors, which ReproNovo sees as potentially helpful in managing adenomyosis, a condition where endometrial tissue grows in the uterine walls. Adenomyosis can cause similar symptoms as endometriosis, such as pelvic pain and heavy menstrual bleeding. The condition often occurs in women between the ages of 35 to 50. There are no drugs specifically approved to treat it.ReproNovo is also studying whether nolasiban can improve embryo implantation by reducing uterine contractility and enhancing blood flow amid embryo transfer during in vitro fertilization. While other treatments are available and in development to increase the chances of IVF success, none are approved to support embryo implantation specifically, the company said.The Series A funding round was led by Jeito Capital and co-led by AXA IM Alts and ReproNovos founding investor M Ventures, the venture arm of Merck KGaA. Ysios Capital and Alsa Ventures also participated. '

NEW YORK, April 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gameto, a female-led biotech company developing therapies to improve the female reproductive journey, today announced the expansion of its executive team with the appointment of Teri Loxam as its first Chief Financial Officer. In this new role, Teri will oversee Gameto's financial function, as well as play a key role in overall company strategy. "Teri is a proven CFO and an impressive female leader, whose decades of experience will immediately add value to our company," said Dina Radenkovic, co-founder and CEO of Gameto. "Her depth of knowledge in capital markets and financing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries comes at an exciting time for the company as we work on clinical development and go-to-market strategy for our lead program, Fertilo, to make the IVF process shorter, safer and more effective for women. Teri's personal passion for women's health is extremely important to us as we continue to grow." Teri joins Gameto with over 20 years of diverse experience in strategy, investor relations and finance across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and TMT industries. Prior to joining Gameto, Teri was Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer at Kira Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotech company developing transformative therapies for people with complement-mediated diseases. There, she built financial and operational functions across the U.S. and China locations to get the company public-ready. Prior to Kira, Teri served as CFO of SQZ Biotechnologies, a novel cell therapy company developing treatments for cancer, infectious disease and other serious conditions, where she raised over $200M, including taking the company public in October 2020. Prior to joining SQZ, Teri held various positions at Merck, IMAX Corporation, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Teri is also a member of the board of directors and audit chair of Vaxcyte, Inc. and Cardiol Therapeutics, Inc. She has a B.S. in Biology from the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. "Gameto's highly innovative platform and dedication to improve and support women's health is impressive," said Teri Loxam, Chief Financial Officer of Gameto. "I am eager to work with a talented team of professionals who are passionate about transforming the traditional IVF processes and advancing developments for women." Teri's appointment is one of many new senior hires this year. Gameto recently appointed Jean-Pierre Gotteland as Head of Development to the management team. Prior to joining Gameto, Jean-Pierre was Chief Scientific Officer and Head of R&D at ObsEva SA, a clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative women's reproductive health therapeutics. There, he led the development and approval of linzagolix, for uterine fibroids, and brought to clinical trials nolasiban, for increasing live birth rate following IVF. Jean-Pierre also served as Chief Development Officer at PregLem SA where he led the development and EU approval of ulipristal acetate for uterine fibroids and infertility. Prior to joining PregLem, Jean-Pierre held various R&D positions at Serono, a world-leading pharmaceutical company before its acquisition by Merck KgA. Jean-Pierre will facilitate clinical development of Gameto's lead program, Fertilo. These new senior hires expand the multidisciplinary team of stem cell engineers, computational biologists, embryologists and physicians Gameto has brought together. About Gameto Based in New York and Madrid, Gameto is a biotechnology company using cell engineering to develop therapeutics for diseases of the female reproductive system. Gameto brings together an experienced scientific management team with vision and passion to develop a product offering that will support women throughout their reproductive journey. Gameto is currently working on its first program, Fertilo, a product for IVF and egg freezing, aiming to make the process shorter, safer and more effective. The preclinical studies for Fertilo found that it can increase egg yield per cycle and maturation for both conventional and reduced stimulation cycle. Gameto is currently conducting preclinical studies with partners Inception Fertility, Spring Fertility, Extend Fertility, RMA, Pozitivf, Ovation Fertility, ReproART, Clinica Tambre, and Hospital Ruber Internacional, Eugin Group. Gameto is led by physician-turned-entrepreneur Dina Radenkovic as CEO and serial entrepreneur and leader in the fertility space Martin Varsavsky as Chairman. For more information, go to gametogen.com or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @gametogen.