Khartis Therapeutics has raised $50 million in Series B funding as the biotechnology company moves its lead drug program closer to clinical development. The financing gives the San Diego-based company additional capital to advance oral small-molecule medicines for immune-mediated and chronic diseases.
The Series B round brings Khartis Therapeutics’ total funding to $95 million. The company is now using the new financing to advance its lead program and continue developing its broader pipeline of potential treatments.
Forge Life Science Partners Leads Funding Round
Forge Life Science Partners led the $50 million Series B financing. Longwood Fund and Alexandria Venture Investments also joined the round.
Existing investors Foresite Capital, Lilly Asia Ventures and Nextech Invest also participated. Their continued backing gives Khartis additional support as it prepares to advance its drug programs toward the clinic. The company has built its research efforts around oral small-molecule medicines that target clinically validated biological pathways involved in immune-mediated and chronic diseases.
Lead Program Targets Thyroid Eye Disease
Khartis Therapeutics is developing an oral selective inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, or IGF-1R, for thyroid eye disease (TED). TED is an immune-mediated condition that can affect tissues around the eyes. It can cause inflammation and swelling and, in more serious cases, can affect vision.
Khartis is developing its IGF-1R program as an oral treatment approach for the disease. The company says the program is designed to target a clinically validated pathway in TED. The drug candidate remains in development, and the company has not announced it as an approved treatment. The latest financing will support work needed to move the program toward clinical development.
Company Focuses on Oral Small-Molecule Medicines
Khartis is building its pipeline around oral small-molecule drugs for immune-mediated and chronic diseases. The company’s approach focuses on biological pathways that already have clinical validation, with the goal of developing medicines that can address significant treatment needs.
Its leadership team includes Co-Founder, CEO and Head of Research Robert Hoffman and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Craig Murphy. Chris LeMasters serves as Executive Board Chairman. The company’s website identifies Foresite Capital, Lilly Asia Ventures and Nextech Invest among its board representation. The team brings experience in drug discovery and development, particularly in small-molecule research.
Funding Strengthens Khartis’ Next Phase
The $50 million Series B gives Khartis the resources to continue advancing its lead program while working on its wider pipeline. The financing also marks an important step as the company builds its position in the biotechnology sector. With $95 million in total funding, Khartis has attracted backing from both new and existing investors to support its research and development plans.
For now, the company’s main focus remains its oral IGF-1R program for thyroid eye disease. The next stage will involve advancing the program toward clinical development and generating the data needed to evaluate its potential as a treatment.
Khartis’ latest funding round highlights continued investor interest in biotechnology companies developing small-molecule approaches to immune-mediated diseases. For the company, the new capital provides an opportunity to take its lead program closer to the clinic while continuing to build its broader drug pipeline.
