ReAlta

About ReAlta

ReAlta Life Sciences, established in 2018, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm focused on developing treatments for life-threatening rare diseases and acute inflammatory conditions. The company was initially formed as a joint venture between Children's Hospital of The King’s Daughters, Eriko Life Science Ventures, and Eastern Virginia Medical School to commercialize promising research. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, ReAlta operates on a business model centered on the research, development, and eventual commercialization of its therapeutic pipeline, financed through a series of funding rounds, including grants and venture capital. The company has successfully raised significant capital to advance its programs into clinical trials.

The core of ReAlta's work is its EPICC (Engineered Peptides for Immune Rebalancing) platform, which is derived from research into the human astrovirus (HAstV-1). This virus is notable for causing a non-inflammatory gastroenteritis, a unique trait it achieves by inhibiting parts of the body's innate immune system. ReAlta's therapeutic peptides are designed to mimic this viral mechanism to rebalance inflammatory and complement processes in the body. The technology employs a dual-targeting approach, modulating both complement activation and key neutrophil-driven inflammatory mechanisms like myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

ReAlta's lead product candidate is RLS-0071, also known as pegtarazimod, a 15-amino acid peptide that inhibits both humoral and cellular inflammation. It functions by binding to the C1 complex to block the classical complement pathway and also inhibits the enzymatic activity of MPO, which is involved in tissue damage and inflammation. RLS-0071 is under investigation for several conditions. It has received Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Designation from the U.S. FDA, as well as Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency, for the treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a type of brain damage in newborns caused by oxygen deprivation. The company is also evaluating RLS-0071 for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD), acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), and as a potential medical countermeasure for Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS).

The company is led by a management team with extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Ulrich Thienel, a physician-scientist with over two decades of experience in drug development at companies like Johnson & Johnson and Takeda, was appointed CEO in 2019 and has been instrumental in guiding the company's clinical development strategy. In 2024, David Marek, a veteran executive with experience at Myovant Sciences and Amgen, took over as CEO, bringing a focus on evolving the company from a clinical to a commercial-stage entity.