Cerium Pharmaceuticals

The company's primary mission is to provide effective therapies for patients with significant unmet needs, particularly in the realm of kidney diseases. Cerium's business model centers on advancing its drug candidates through the clinical trial process to gain regulatory approval and subsequently commercialize them. To finance these long-term development efforts, the company has successfully raised capital, including a $12 million Series B financing round in November 2021, led by Alexandria Biotech, LLC, bringing its total funding at the time to $19 million.

Cerium's lead product candidate is SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel, a synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) being developed for the treatment of Primary Membranous Nephropathy (PMN). PMN is a rare autoimmune kidney disease that affects approximately 75,000 people in the United States, with about 3,000 new diagnoses annually. The condition can lead to decreased kidney function, and for 30-40% of patients, it may progress to requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to this investigational agent. The company is conducting a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the superiority of its SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel compared to the current standard of care, rituximab. This trial is actively enrolling patients across the United States, Canada, and India.