Enterprise Therapeutics raises £29 million ($41 million USD) funding

Brighton, UK – 12 April 2018: Enterprise Therapeutics Ltd (Enterprise), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research and development of novel therapies for the treatment of respiratory diseases, today announced that it has closed an oversubscribed £29 million ($41 million USD) Series B round co-led by Versant Ventures and Novartis Venture Fund. The
syndicate also included new investor Forbion, founding investor Epidarex Capital and existing investor IP Group.

The investment will fund the Company’s drug discovery pipeline of muco-regulatory therapies into clinical development, enabling new treatment options for cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.

Enterprise Therapeutics is developing muco-regulatory therapies to treat patients with respiratory diseases of high unmet medical need, where mucus obstruction reduces lung function, leading to difficulty in breathing and recurrent lung infections. These novel therapies target the ion channels TMEM16A and ENaC, to increase the hydration and clearance of mucus. Enterprise Therapeutics has also identified novel targets and compounds that reduce mucus production, an approach that complements mucus hydration therapies.

Commenting on the fundraising, Dr John Ford, CEO, Enterprise Therapeutics, said: “Attracting this syndicate of leading life science investors is a reflection of what the Company has achieved to date and the strength of our pipeline. At Enterprise, we believe new therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of mucus congestion are essential to reduce the frequency of
lung infections and improve patient quality of life.”

Dr Alex Mayweg, Partner, Versant Ventures, commented: “We are very encouraged by progress the Enterprise team made in generating candidates for highly sought-after but challenging targets. This financing should enable introduction of novel therapeutics for patients with cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases.”

Dr David Morris, Venture Partner, Novartis Venture Fund, commented: “Our focus is on finding solutions for unmet needs and clinical impact, an area where Enterprise Therapeutics is making excellent progress for respiratory disease patients. We believe this additional round of funding puts the Company in a strong position as it continues to progress towards the clinic.”

“Forbion focuses on supporting novel approaches that have the potential to truly impact the future of medicine” commented Dr Geert-Jan Mulder, Managing Partner, Forbion. “As Enterprise Therapeutics has both a highly innovative R&D pipeline and an experienced leadership team, the Company in our view is well positioned to become a key player in the field of novel respiratory medicine.”