Couragetx

About Couragetx

Courage Therapeutics, Inc. is a preclinical biopharmaceutical company founded in June 2019 as a spinout from the University of Michigan. The firm was co-founded by CEO Daniel Housman, a serial entrepreneur in healthcare technology, and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Roger Cone, a prominent researcher in melanocortin receptor biology. Housman's personal experience with family members affected by anorexia nervosa inspired the company's mission. Dr. Cone's extensive research at the University of Michigan's Life Sciences Institute on the molecular basis of feeding behaviors and the melanocortin system provides the foundational science for the company's intellectual property.

The company is focused on developing novel peptides and small molecules to treat eating disorders and obesity by directly targeting the brain's melanocortin circuits in the hypothalamus. This approach differs from many existing weight-loss drugs. The pipeline includes two main programs: MC4R peptide agonists for dietary and genetic obesity, and first-in-class MC3R peptide agonists for restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, cachexia, and sarcopenia. The company has identified compounds that are more potent than currently marketed products and is developing them to potentially be used in combination with GLP-1 drugs. The business model is centered on R&D to advance its drug candidates through preclinical testing and into clinical trials, with a strategy that involves licensing, partnerships, and securing non-dilutive grant funding. Courage Therapeutics has received funding from its founders, angel investors, NIH grants, and venture capital, including a seed round of over $1 million in 2021 and an investment of up to $7.8 million from Arsenal Bridge Ventures in May 2025 to advance its candidates toward clinical trials.