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 around 9 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 occuring peptide hormones.
TEAM
Board of Directors
Management and advisors
Scientific Advisory Board
NEWS
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 selected to
participate in NLSinvest2021
March 9th 2021.
From hundreds of high-quality applications the Nordic Selection Committee has chosen Pephexia Therapeutics as one of the Rising Stars to join Nordic Life Science Invest. Pephexia Therapeutics is pleased to be able to pitch before 120+ global investors joining the NLSInvest & Nordic Life Science Days.
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.
Seasoned biotech profiles
starts new company
January 1st 2021.
A team of senior people in biotech join forces in a new biotech company set out to develop a novel medicine for unintended weight loss.
Pephexia receives
Innobooster grant
October 15th 2020.
Today Pephexia has received an Innobooster grant from Innovationsfonden, Denmark for funding of the lead peptide program for cachexia.
Pephexia raised
share capital
November 2nd 2020.
Pephexia has expanded the share capital by inclusion of active private investors for acceleration of the lead peptide program for cachexia.
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.