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Verdiva Bio

Biotech & Life Sciences · London, United Kingdom · Founded 2025

Verdiva Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that launched in January 2025, focused on developing next-generation therapies for obesity, cardiometabolic disorders, and related complications. The company, with operations in London and San Francisco, was co-founded by Khurem Farooq and former members of the Aiolos Bio team. Verdiva launched with an oversubscribed Series A financing of $411 million, co-led by Forbion and General Atlantic, with participation from other notable investors including RA Capital Management, OrbiMed, and Lilly Asia Ventures. The leadership team is composed of experienced drug developers, with Khurem Farooq serving as CEO, Mark Pruzanski as Chairman of the Board, Dr. Jane Hughes as Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Mohamed Eid as Chief Medical Officer. The team aims to leverage emerging science in gut-brain biology and their experience from companies like Aiolos Bio, Gyroscope Therapeutics, and Boehringer Ingelheim to address unmet medical needs in weight management. Verdiva's business model centers on acquiring, developing, and commercializing a portfolio of treatments. In 2024, the company acquired global development and commercialization rights (outside of greater China and South Korea) to a portfolio of assets from the Chinese biotech firm Sciwind Biosciences. The company's strategy is to advance these therapies, which utilize a proprietary oral delivery technology, through clinical trials to offer more patient-friendly and scalable solutions compared to current injectable treatments. The product pipeline includes oral and injectable candidates. The most advanced therapy is VRB-101, a Phase 2-ready, once-weekly oral GLP-1 receptor agonist designed for weight loss and maintenance. A Phase 1 study in Australia demonstrated its potential and confirmed the viability of a once-weekly dosing regimen. The portfolio also features a portfolio of amylin molecules, including VRB-103, a once-weekly oral amylin agonist, and a long-acting subcutaneous version, which are being developed as both monotherapies and in combination with GLP-1 agonists to potentially enhance efficacy and promote healthier weight loss. Keywords: cardiometabolic disorders, oral therapies, obesity treatment, GLP-1 receptor agonist, amylin agonist, weight loss drugs, biopharmaceutical, clinical-stage, gut-brain biology, VRB-101, patient-friendly dosing, Sciwind Biosciences, Khurem Farooq, next-generation therapies, metabolic health, oral peptides, drug development, weight management, injectable treatments, monotherapy, combination therapy