Innovative
Cachexia Treatment
Pephexia Therapeutics is a biotechnology company working with the discovery and development of novel peptide-based pharmacotherapies for an effective and convenient treatment of cachexia, sarcopenia, and related diseases.
FOCUS AREA
Cachexia is a severe and growing wasting disease that affects up to 12 million patients and causes a total of 1.5-2.0 million deaths per year1.
Cachexia is defined as un-intended weight loss of a least 5% in 12 months or less. A range of underlying diseases can cause cachexia, most commonly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis2. In cancer cachexia accounts for 20% of the deaths3, and in COPD cachexia is associated with 50% reduction in median survival4. Cachexia patients often experience a loss of appetite and a loss of muscle tissue and strength leading to fatigue, and an overall lowered quality of life2. Moreover, cachexia is associated with an abnormal metabolism with a range of immune, neurohormonal, and biochemical abnormalities associated with the underlying pathologies and a negative energy balance. Treatment of cachexia includes nutritional supplementation, however there is still a large unmet medical need for novel and efficacious pharmacotherapies to improve the quality of life of these patients.
References:
1Von Haehling et al. (2016) JCSM 7 (5), 507-509; 2Eldrige and Dorg (2019) Verywellhealth; 3Fortune Business Insights: Cancer cachexia – pipeline review 2019; 4Wagner et al. (2008) Eur Respir J 31, 492-501.
MISSON
We aim to deliver a novel, innovative, and effective pharmacotherapy for the treatment of cachexia based on naturally occurring peptide hormones.
TEAM
Board of Directors
Management and advisors
Scientific Advisory Board
NEWS
Pephexia receives Grant from the Danish Innovation Fund
March 9th 2022
Pephexia Therapeutics ApS have received a Grant of 4.7M DKK from the Danish Innovation Fund. This is the second grant following the successful execution of the first minor Innobooster project. Now in the second major Innobooster project it is the intention to mature Pephexia lead project for Cancer Cachexia towards Lead selection and characterization.
Pephexia receives funding from Vækstfonden
December 1st 2021
Pephexia has received a financing of 3M DKK/400.000 Euro from Vækstfonden (Danish Growth Fund). This funding enable advancement of our innovative peptide projects for the treatment of cachexia at full speed towards lead selection and characterization.
Pephexia hires Chief Business Officer (CBO)
November 11th 2021
Kamilla Rolsted joins a newly created position as Chief Business Officer (CBO) in Pephexia Therapeutics. Kamilla brings solid experience from positions in companies such as Zealand Pharma, Bionor Pharma, and Akari Therapeutics.
Pephexia secures 10M DKK in funding via the Creation House program at BioInnovation Institute
September 23rd 2021
Entering the Creation House program at BII is a major milestone in Pephexia’s efforts towards the development of effective and convenient treatments of cachexia and related diseases.
Pephexia expands
the organization
March 2nd 2021
Pephexia strengthens its knowhow on peptide drug discovery by welcoming Søren Ljungberg Pedersen as new CTO & Head of Research and Professor Annette G. Beck-Sickinger as Scientific advisor.
Full news archive
UPCOMING EVENTS
A few facts about cachexia
The major underlying diseases of cachexia are COPD, Cancer and Congestive Heart Failure1. As an example up to 40% of patients with COPD experience muscle wasting2.
1Von Haehling et al. (2016) JCSM 7 (5), 507-509; 2Sanders et al (2016) JCSM 7 (1), 5-22.
Cachexia in cancer is responsible for around 20% deaths among cancer patients globally3.
3Fortune Business Insights: Cancer cachexia – pipeline review 2019.
Cachexia in COPD is associated with 50% reduction in median survival4.
4Wagner et al. (2008) Eur Respir J 31, 492-501.