Arpeggio Biosciences has decided to wind down operations after its lead Nrf2 degrader program began to 'unravel' over the past few months.
The company, based in Boulder, Colorado, had around 13 employees and was unable to separate the molecule's efficacy from an off-target liability.
Arpeggio's lead asset was a small molecule Nrf2 degrader in preclinical development for KEAP1-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with plans to expand into neurodegeneration and chronic kidney disease.
Despite raising over $60 million in total, including a $17 million Series A in 2022 from investors such as Khosla Ventures, Builders VC, and Tencent, the company could not bridge the gap to human clinical trials.
CEO Joey Azofeifa announced the wind-down on LinkedIn last month, stating that the decision underscores the financial challenges facing early-stage platform biotechs.
Sources:
Arpeggio Bio disbands after Nrf2 program starts to 'unravel'
Arpeggio Biosciences' Post - LinkedIn
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