CinCor Pharma

CinCor Pharma, Inc. operates as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm, strategically focused on developing treatments for cardio-renal diseases. The company was established in 2018 by co-founders Jon Isaacsohn, M.D., and Catherine Pearce, DHSc, MBA. Dr. Pearce began her career at Roche, later held roles at Merck and Teva, and co-founded the biotech incubator CinRx in 2015, which was dedicated to repurposing and advancing early-stage assets. This background in revitalizing dormant assets was central to the formation of CinCor.

The company's business model centers on the clinical development of its lead candidate, baxdrostat (formerly CIN-107), targeting significant unmet needs in hypertension and other cardio-renal conditions. In May 2019, CinCor secured an exclusive global license from Roche for baxdrostat. This move was supported by a $50 million Series A financing round, followed by a $143 million Series B round in October 2021, to fund the drug's progression through clinical trials. The company’s financial strategy included an initial public offering in January 2022, listing on the Nasdaq under the symbol "CINC". CinCor’s operations were almost entirely dependent on the success of baxdrostat, its sole clinical development program.

Baxdrostat is a highly selective, oral small-molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, an enzyme that synthesizes aldosterone in the adrenal gland. This mechanism directly targets a key cause of high blood pressure, aiming to provide an improved treatment for patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension. The company initiated multiple Phase 2 trials, including the BrigHtn trial for treatment-resistant hypertension and the HALO trial for uncontrolled hypertension, to assess the drug's efficacy and safety. Additionally, CinCor explored baxdrostat's potential in treating primary aldosteronism and complications from chronic kidney disease (CKD).

A pivotal moment in CinCor's history occurred in January 2023, when AstraZeneca announced its intent to acquire the company. The deal, valued at approximately $1.3 billion upfront with a potential total value of $1.8 billion, was finalized in February 2023. This acquisition provided AstraZeneca with global rights to baxdrostat, strengthening its cardiorenal pipeline and offering the potential to combine the drug with its existing treatments like Farxiga. Following the acquisition, CinCor's shares were delisted from Nasdaq.

Keywords: CinCor Pharma, baxdrostat, aldosterone synthase inhibitor, treatment-resistant hypertension, cardio-renal disease, AstraZeneca acquisition, Jon Isaacsohn, Catherine Pearce, CIN-107, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical, chronic kidney disease, primary aldosteronism, blood pressure control, pharmaceutical development, Roche license, HALO trial, BrigHtn trial, antihypertensive agents, aldosterone, biopharma M&A