KaNDy Therapeutics

About KaNDy Therapeutics

KaNDy Therapeutics, a UK-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, was established in 2017 as a spin-off from NeRRe Therapeutics. The company was co-founded by Dr. Mary Kerr, who served as CEO, and Mike Trower, the Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Kerr brought extensive experience from over 20 years in senior leadership at GSK and as a founding member of ViiV Healthcare, with a career focused on the intersection of R&D and commercial strategy. Trower also came from GSK, where he was a vice president and recognized the potential of neurokinin antagonists. The same core management team ran both NeRRe and KaNDy Therapeutics.

The company's primary focus was the development of NT-814, a non-hormonal, once-daily oral drug candidate for treating symptoms of menopause, particularly vasomotor symptoms (VMS) like hot flashes and night sweats. NT-814 is a dual neurokinin-1,3 receptor antagonist designed to modulate neurons in the hypothalamus that become hyperactive due to the absence of estrogen, thereby disrupting the body's heat control mechanisms. This provided a novel, non-hormonal approach for a significant market, as up to 75% of women experience these debilitating symptoms during menopause. KaNDy's business model was centered on advancing NT-814 through clinical trials to demonstrate its efficacy and safety, with the ultimate goal of commercialization or acquisition by a larger pharmaceutical company.

A significant milestone was the successful completion of a Phase IIb clinical trial, which showed that NT-814 produced rapid and significant reductions in the frequency of hot flashes and improved quality of life, mood, and sleep. This success attracted substantial interest and culminated in the company's acquisition by Bayer in September 2020. The deal involved an upfront payment of $425 million, with potential future milestone payments of up to $450 million and additional sales-based milestones. The acquisition integrated NT-814, later named elinzanetant, into Bayer's women's healthcare pipeline, reinforcing Bayer's market position and providing the resources to advance the compound into Phase III trials.