RougeTx
Small-molecule therapies restoring vascular integrity via pericyte biology.
The founders
JT
FL
The company
RougeTx is developing disease-modifying, small-molecule therapies that restore vascular stability by targeting pericyte biology. Its lead program, RTX-001, is a potential once-daily oral treatment for Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) designed to stabilise fragile blood vessels by restoring pericyte attachment.
HHT is the second most common inherited bleeding disorder, yet it has no approved therapies — leaving patients reliant on symptomatic management for recurrent bleeding and severe anaemia. RougeTx is betting that a disease-modifying approach rooted in pericyte dysfunction can finally change that.
The company is a spin-off from Leiden University Medical Center, built on more than two decades of research by co-founder and Scientific Advisor Franck Lebrin. It launched on 6 October 2026 alongside co-founder Jérémy Thalgott.
Beyond Lebrin's long-running vascular biology research, the company is led by CEO Andrew Lightfoot, who the company says brings extensive experience to the mission. The backing of specialist life-science investors adds further weight behind the science.
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