CinCor Pharma Secures $50 Million Series A Financing to Advance Roche’s CIN-107 for Resistant Hypertension

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has learned that on May 15, CinCor Pharma, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced the completion of a $50 million Series A financing round. The proceeds will be used to develop CIN-107, a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor compound under Roche.

This round of financing was led by Sofinnova Investments, with participation from 5AM Ventures. As part of the financing agreement, Jim Healy, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Investments; Maina Bhaman, Partner at Sofinnova Partners; and David Allison from 5AM Ventures will jointly join the Board of Directors of CinCor Pharma.

CinCor is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of potential clinical therapeutics for cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases. The CIN-107 compound is CinCor’s lead development program.

Primary aldosteronism is a hormonal disorder that can lead to hypertension. In 2017, the Joint National Committee (JNC) updated its hypertension guidelines based on evidence, recommending that lowering blood pressure to below 130/80 mmHg could reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly heart attacks and strokes. However, CinCor stated that despite the use of combination antihypertensive therapies, approximately 17% of individuals with hypertension still fail to achieve their target blood pressure levels and are considered to have resistant hypertension. Data indicate that adult patients with resistant hypertension face a 2- to 6-fold higher risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death compared to hypertensive adults who achieve their target blood pressure levels.

Under the license agreement, CinCor will be responsible for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of CIN-107, a compound from Roche. CIN-107 is a highly selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of resistant hypertension and primary aldosteronism. The compound acts via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which regulates fluid and electrolyte balance in the human body.

CIN-107 was well tolerated in the Phase I single ascending-dose clinical study. CinCor stated that the compound is specific for aldosterone inhibition and can significantly reduce aldosterone levels in a dose-dependent manner. CinCor plans to continue with a Phase I multiple ascending-dose clinical study, followed by two Phase II clinical trials in patients with resistant hypertension and primary aldosteronism.

Jon Isaacsohn, Co-founder and CEO of CinCor Pharma, stated, “Hypertensive patients who fail to achieve target blood pressure face a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The compound CIN-107 addresses the unmet medical needs of these patients. For such individuals, as well as those at risk of aldosterone-mediated end-organ damage, CIN-107 represents a novel therapeutic option.”

Sofinnova Investments was founded in 1974 in Menlo Park, California, primarily investing in life sciences and technology-based startups.

5AM Ventures, founded by John Diekman and Andrew Schwab in 2002, is a venture capital firm headquartered in California. 5AM Ventures primarily invests in seed- and early-stage medical technology companies.

(Compiled by: Li Chengping)