Westlake BioPartners headed to Texas for its latest biotechnology venture, launching Oorja Bio with $30 million in Series A funding to make new drugs for cardiopulmonary and fibrotic diseases.
The Houston startup announced Tuesday that it would soon begin a Phase 2 clinical trial for ORJ-001, its lead program for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Oorja licensed the drug from NIBEC, a South Korean biotechnology company, as part of a strategy to find “assets that could advance in the clinic rapidly,” CEO Sujay Kango told BioPharma Dive in an email.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF, is a rare condition where scar tissue builds up in the lungs, causing chronic cough, shortness of breath and fatigue. Patients can draw from a handful of drugs to manage their conditions: Esbriet, Ofev and the recently approved Jascayd.
Esbriet, developed by Roche, slows disease progression by preventing the buildup of scar tissue. Ofev and Jascayd, both made by Boehringer Ingelheim, block some cell-surface receptors linked to fibrosis.
None stop the disease completely, and they all carry tolerability issues, prompting other drugmakers to search for better options. One of those companies, Avalyn Pharma, last month raised $300 million in an initial public offering.
Oorja is pursuing a different approach with its lead drug, according to Kango. The therapy is designed to restore the function of “alveolar epithelial type 2,” or AEC2 cells. These cells are found in the tiny air sacs of the lungs and help repair damage when those sacs, or alveoli, are injured. They're also compromised in IPF, suggesting that repairing their abilities might help undo lung scarring.
Preclinical research has showed such potential, the company said in a Tuesday statement.In an early human study presented at a medical meeting this week, Oorja also found that ORJ-001 was well-tolerated in healthy volunteers. The company plans to launch a Phase 2 trial later this year.
ORJ-001 “represents a different regenerative approach” that might “complement other therapeutic strategies,” Kango said.
Oorja draws its name from the Sanskrit word for “energy,” which Kango said “reflects our focus on restoring tissue function and promoting repair in serious fibrotic diseases.”
Kango as well as Chief Medical Officer Janethe Pena both previously worked together at Acceleron Pharma, where they played key roles in the development of a blood pressure drug now known as Winrevair. Merck & Co. acquired Acceleron for more than $11 billion in 2021.
“We believe the fibrosis field is entering a new era focused on regenerative and disease-modifying approaches that may offer greater benefit for patients,” Kango said.
