Forendo Pharma is a clinical-stage drug development company based in Turku, Finland, focused on novel treatments in women’s health. Its lead program is FOR-6219, an oral small-molecule HSD17B1 enzyme inhibitor for endometriosis, which completed a Phase 1a study earlier in the year. The company intends to progress FOR-6219 into the next phase of clinical studies using new financing. Its pipeline also includes another HSD17B-family enzyme inhibitor in discovery for an undisclosed gynecological condition and Fispemifene (Phase 2), a SERM for male urological conditions. Founded in 2013 by academic endocrinology experts and Finnish drug development pioneers, Forendo is led by CEO Risto Lammintausta and has core competences in modulating tissue-specific hormone mechanisms. The recent €5M investment will support upcoming clinical development work. Forendo Pharma, based in Turku and Oulu, Finland, is a clinical-stage drug development company focused on novel treatments in women's health. The company's core competence is modulating tissue-specific hormone mechanisms and its pipeline includes FOR-6219, an oral HSD17B1 inhibitor in Phase Ia for endometriosis, a dual HSD inhibitor program in preclinical discovery, and fispemifene (Phase II) for male urological conditions. FOR-6219 is being developed as a tissue-specific treatment expected to have no impact on systemic hormone levels; the Phase Ia study focuses on safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics. Led by CEO Risto Lammintausta, Forendo intends to use new funds to accelerate development of its women's health portfolio. The company previously completed a €12m Series A financing in 2014 and has received €5.7m in R&D loans from Business Finland since 2014. The recent additional financing supports advancement of its clinical and preclinical programs. Forendo Pharma is a Turku, Finland-based drug development company focused on developing novel oral treatments for endometriosis. Its lead program is FOR-6219, an HSD17B1 inhibitor that was entering Phase I studies in the second quarter of 2018. The company's pipeline includes preclinical HSD17B1 inhibitors for endometriosis, discovery-stage dual HSD inhibitors with potential for other endocrinological diseases, and Fispemifene (Phase 2), a novel SERM for male urological conditions. Founded in 2013 and led by CEO Risto Lammintausta, Forendo concentrates on modulating tissue-specific hormone mechanisms. The company received a €3M R&D loan from Business Finland to support development of its endometriosis drug. Forendo is backed by Novo Seeds, Karolinska Development, Novartis Venture Fund, M Ventures and Innovestor. Forendo is a drug development company based in Turku, Finland focused on organ-specific hormone mechanisms to address unmet needs in women’s and men’s health. Its lead candidate, FP-5677, is an HSD17B1 inhibitor designed to regulate estrogen activity in a tissue-specific manner and is being developed as a potential first specific treatment for endometriosis. The company will use recent financing to advance FP-5677 through clinical proof-of-concept and to progress early-phase programs from its HSD platform for other hormone-dependent diseases. Forendo’s pipeline also includes fispemifene, which has positive Phase II data for secondary hypogonadism and disease-model data for lower urinary tract symptoms and chronic prostatitis; Forendo has signed a U.S. licensing agreement for fispemifene with Apricus Biosciences. The company is supported by Nordic investors Karolinska Development, Novo Seeds and Finnvera, with international venture groups joining as shareholders. Endometriosis affects up to 10% of women between adolescence and menopause and current therapies are unspecific, underscoring the unmet medical need Forendo targets. Forendo Pharma is a newly established drug development company based in Turku, Finland, founded on research from the University of Turku. Its core programs target organ-specific hormone mechanisms: a preclinical 17β-HSD1 enzyme inhibitor program for endometriosis and fispemifene, an oral agent for low testosterone with positive Phase II data. The endometriosis program aims to regulate hormone activity in a tissue/organ-specific manner and is currently in pre-clinical development. Fispemifene stimulates testicular function and may maintain male fertility compared with testosterone replacement; Forendo intends to seek partners to advance this program. The company’s key assets were acquired from Hormos Medical and the founding team includes academic leaders in endocrinology and Finnish drug development pioneers. Initial public backing includes funding from Tekes and new investments to advance proof-of-concept and business development.

Total raised

$16M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Jul 2019