Velicept Therapeutics is a privately-held clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing best-in-class compounds for urological and gastrointestinal disorders. Its lead product, solabegron, is a highly potent and selective beta-3 adrenoceptor agonist being investigated for OAB and IBS. The company is conducting a comprehensive Phase 2 program including VEL2001, a once-daily time-dependent release formulation study initiated in July, and VEL2002, a twice-daily (BID) study, to explore the full dose range and optimize efficacy. VEL2001 is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled Phase 2b enrolling 375 adult women ages 18 to 80 across 90 North American centers, with a 12-week treatment period comparing low and high once-daily doses to placebo and a primary endpoint of mean change in micturitions per day recorded in an e-diary. A prior Phase 2 study of solabegron conducted by GlaxoSmithKline evaluated twice-daily dosing in 258 patients and showed a statistically significant improvement versus placebo with a safety and tolerability profile similar to placebo. Velicept also holds an intellectual property portfolio around solabegron, including U.S. Patent No. 10,065,922 (126 claims) directed to solid solabegron zwitterion, expiring February 23, 2037. The company plans to use recent financing to complete the ongoing Phase 2b studies and to support Phase 3 enabling work. Velicept Therapeutics is a privately held, clinical development company based in Malvern, Pa., focused on advancing best-in-class compounds to address unmet medical needs. Its lead program, solabegron, is a highly selective beta-3 adrenoceptor agonist being investigated for overactive bladder (OAB) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A Phase II study in moderate to severe OAB showed significant improvement versus placebo in reduction of wet episodes and daily voids, and a Phase II IBS study demonstrated significant pain reduction and a trend toward improved quality of life. Both Phase II studies indicated a tolerability profile similar to placebo. Solabegron was discovered and first developed by GlaxoSmithKline, later acquired by AltheRx, which merged with Velicept in 2015 to continue development. Velicept is a portfolio company of NeXeption and says it has an experienced team of pharmaceutical and biotechnology executives.

Total raised

$36M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Oct 2018