Our mechanism of action:
The RAS pathway

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a network of peptide hormones that evolved to regulate blood pressure and water/electrolyte balance. There are two arms within the RAS pathway: the classical arm of RAS and its counter player - the alternative RAS.

Long-term activation of the classical RAS pathway leads to pathologic conditions like heart failure and hypertension. Therefore this part is targeted since a long time by various drugs that reduce its activity.

Our promising strategy, however, is to activate the alternative RAS pathway, which counter-regulates the classical RAS leading to improved blood flow and reduced inflammation and fibrosis. These are advantageous properties to treat diseases like pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Our lead indication:
Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, chronic and fatal disease characterized by an increased blood pressure in the pulmonary artery. There are specific therapies but none of them is able to neither cure nor stop the disease.

The main symptoms are unspecific shortness of breath and reduced exercise tolerance. Despite available therapies the disease progresses, eventually leading to heart failure. From diagnosis patients have a limited life expectancy of about 7-10 years.

PAH occurs throughout life with most cases occurring between 50 and 65 years of age. The prevalence of PAH is approximately 50 patients per million persons generating a market of around 4 billion USD (7MM).