Napo Pharmaceuticals

About Napo Pharmaceuticals

Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a human health-focused pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes plant-based gastrointestinal products. The company was founded in November 2001 by Lisa A. Conte, who has a background in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and business. Conte previously founded Shaman Pharmaceuticals in 1989 to explore drug discovery from medicinal plants used by indigenous healers. After Shaman filed for bankruptcy, Conte established Napo Pharmaceuticals to acquire its compound library, including the promising drug crofelemer.

Napo Pharmaceuticals operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jaguar Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAGX) following a merger that became effective on July 31, 2017. This merger integrated Napo's human health focus with Jaguar's animal health operations, creating synergistic benefits in manufacturing and commercialization. The company's business model focuses on bringing novel medicines to high-margin Western markets while also serving developing markets.

The company's core product is Mytesi® (crofelemer), a first-in-class, plant-based, anti-secretory agent. It is derived from the red bark sap of the *Croton lechleri* tree found in the Amazon rainforest. Mytesi® is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. Unlike opioids that slow gut movement, crofelemer works by inhibiting chloride ion channels in the intestine, which normalizes the flow of water. Revenue is generated from the sales of Mytesi®, which launched in the U.S. in 2016.

Napo Pharmaceuticals is exploring multiple follow-on indications for crofelemer, including chemotherapy-induced diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and supportive care for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The company is also developing treatments for rare pediatric diseases such as short bowel syndrome (SBS) and microvillus inclusion disease (MVID). Through its European subsidiary, Napo Therapeutics, it is working to expand access to crofelemer for orphan and rare diseases in Europe.