Kala Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on innovative nanoparticle-based treatments for ocular diseases using its proprietary mucus-penetrating particle (MPP) technology. Its lead product, KPI-121, is a nanoparticle formulation of loteprednol etabonate studied in multiple clinical trials for post-surgical ocular inflammation and pain and for dry eye/Meibomian gland disease. The company plans to complete Phase 3 trials for KPI-121 in cataract surgery and dry eye disease and, if successful, to file New Drug Applications in the U.S. in 2017. Proceeds from the recent financing will be used to advance the confirmatory Phase 3 trial for KPI-121 after cataract surgery, two parallel Phase 3 dry eye studies, and for general corporate purposes. Kala notes its MPP technology may have applications beyond ophthalmology, including women’s reproductive health, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. The company is backed by multiple life sciences investors and recently closed a $68 million Series C financing. Kala Pharmaceuticals develops topical ophthalmic products based on its proprietary Mucus Penetrating Particle (MPP) nanotechnology that enables therapeutic agents to pass through the eye’s mucus layer and penetrate deeper tissues, including the retina. The company’s clinical-stage product candidates aim to provide more convenient dosing and improved efficacy across indications such as dry eye disease and wet age-related macular degeneration. Kala’s lead programs include loteprednol etabonate MPP (LE-MPP) and a small-molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor formulated with MPP (RTKi-MPP). The company planned multiple clinical trials in 2014 to advance LE-MPP, including a Phase 3 post-operative inflammation and pain study after cataract surgery and Phase 2 trials in dry eye and inflammatory meibomian gland disease, plus an exploratory retinal study. Kala says its MPP technology may have applications beyond ophthalmology, including respiratory, women’s reproductive health and gastrointestinal diseases. The company is backed by life-sciences investors including Crown Venture Fund, Lux Capital, Polaris Partners, Third Rock Ventures and Ysios Capital. Kala Pharmaceuticals develops products that penetrate mucosal barriers using its Mucosal Penetrating Product (MPP) platform to treat diseases affecting the eyes, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and female reproductive system. The company focuses internally on innovative ophthalmic treatments, emphasizing topical delivery that can reach the back of the eye and improve side effect profiles. Kala is advancing two lead programs targeting ocular inflammation and wet age-related macular degeneration toward clinical proof of concept. It also pursues collaborations to apply the MPP platform to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and female reproductive diseases and to transform the properties of marketed drugs. The company was founded by leaders in nanomedicine and biopharmaceutical engineering, including Dr. Justin Hanes, Dr. Robert Langer, and Dr. Colin Gardner. Kala secured $11.5 million in Series A equity financing to fund advancement of its ophthalmic portfolio and platform collaborations. Kala Pharmaceuticals is a Waltham, MA-based developer of treatments for diseases that affect mucosal tissues. It uses a proprietary mucus penetrating particle (MPP) technology platform to formulate active pharmaceutical ingredients so they can pass through human mucus secretions in organs including the respiratory tract, eye, cervicovaginal tract and gastrointestinal tract. The company was co-founded by Robert Langer, Colin Gardner and Justin Hanes. Kala intends to use the $6.2M in new equity financing to advance its internal product pipeline toward human clinical trials. Backers in the financing include existing investors Lux Capital, Polaris Venture Partners, Third Rock Ventures and Lighthouse Capital Partners. Kala has also been awarded grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Eye Institute to support development of an improved inhaled cystic fibrosis treatment and better ocular drug formulations.

Total raised

$108M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Apr 2016