4BIO Capital Portfolio Company Redpin Therapeutics to be Acquired by Kriya Therapeutics

London & New York – 4BIO Capital (“4BIO” or “the Group”), an international venture capital firm unlocking the treatments of the future by investing in advanced therapies and other emerging technologies, today announces the acquisition of its portfolio company Redpin Therapeutics, Inc. (“Redpin”), a pioneering chemogenetics company developing uniquely controllable gene therapies to address intractable diseases of the nervous system, by Kriya Therapeutics, Inc. (“Kriya”), a fully integrated gene therapy company advancing a broad portfolio of innovative therapeutics. The acquisition serves as the foundation for Kriya’s neurology therapeutic area portfolio, with two lead gene therapy programs focused on epilepsy and trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Redpin’s proprietary chemogenetics platform can selectively activate or silence disease-causing neurons, while leaving normal functioning cells unaffected. Currently available treatments for neurological disorders typically rely on systemically administered drugs or surgical interventions to address local neuron dysfunction. However, these approaches can have limited efficacy and off-target side effects. In contrast, chemogenetics leverages gene products that are selectively responsive to a chosen small molecule. Redpin’s technology utilizes gene therapy to express engineered ion channels that are responsive to modulation by the FDA-approved anti-smoking drug varenicline to either stimulate specific underactive neurons or inhibit overactive ones.

Redpin’s investors include 4BIO Capital, Arkin Bio Ventures, Takeda Ventures Inc, New York Ventures and Alexandria Venture Investments.

Dr. Elma Hawkins, Redpin Therapeutics’ President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, said: “Redpin has a built a breakthrough, validated chemogenetics approach that could have significant potential in the targeted treatment of neurological disorders. Kriya Therapeutics is the perfect company to take this leading ion channel-based platform forward and deliver an effective treatment option for patients. We look forward to working with the Kriya team to progress these unique targeted therapies to patients in need as rapidly as possible.”

Shankar Ramaswamy, M.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kriya said: “Redpin’s innovative chemogenetics platform has the potential to transform the lives of patients suffering from intractable neurological conditions. We are looking forward to integrating Redpin’s platform and pipeline into Kriya’s gene therapy engine as we advance our mission to develop life-changing gene therapies that can address diseases affecting millions of patients around the world.”

Andrew Kozlov, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital and Board Member at Redpin Therapeutics, commented: “Since leading Redpin Therapeutics’ Series A round in 2020, we have worked closely with the Redpin team to realize the potential of the company’s highly compelling chemogenetics approach. Kriya’s own platform consolidates the critical infrastructure and technology needed to systematically advance gene therapies, offering all the needed elements to propel this exciting technology forward to address neurological disorders for patients with considerable unmet need.”