TREFOIL MOVES CLOSER TO A CLINICAL TRIAL

TREFOIL MOVES CLOSER TO A CLINICAL TRIAL: ANNOUNCING OUR FOLLOW ON INVESTMENT

Trefoil Therapeutics, Inc., an early-stage biopharmaceutical company and ExSight Ventures portfolio company, announced their $28 million Series A financing. Trefoil is developing a regenerative approach to treating corneal dystrophies and other diseases. We initially invested in Trefoil's 2016 Series 1 financing and enthusiastically participated in the Series A financing. This financing is a significant milestone in bringing their treatment closer to an approved therapy.

When we first invested we wrote in a note to our investors, "Trefoil's innovations promise to improve patients' lives with a more efficacious treatment and significantly lower risk minimally invasive procedure." Since then, the company has made significant progress in bringing this treatment closer to reality for patients suffering from these disorders. Trefoil has generated preclinical data that has shown "TTHX1114's ability to accelerate corneal clearing in animal models of corneal endothelial dystrophy and enhance healing in corneal chemical injury and herpetic keratopathy." The company has also demonstrated "TTHX1114 stimulates the proliferation and migration of endothelial tissue" in human cornea organ culture models of both healthy and diseased corneas.  

Bios Partners led the round and was joined by Access Biotechnology with participation from all existing investors. The proceeds will provide for the completion of a Phase 2a proof-of-concept study in corneal endothelial dystrophy. Trefoil plans to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA in early 2020 and subsequently begin the clinical trial. This financing will also fund the continued development of a topical formulation of TTHX1114 for the treatment of ulcerative conditions of the cornea. The company plans a second IND submission for corneal epithelial conditions in 2021.
 
The Trefoil team's ability to plan carefully, execute effectively, and communicate clearly have advanced the company's development to this crucial stage. An exceptional and seasoned leadership team, robust preclinical data, and compelling science bode well for getting these breakthrough therapies to patients. We consider ourselves fortunate to be a small part of the Trefoil story. ​Press Release.
Other press: Fierce, Healio, PE Hub, Pro Rata, Term Sheet, and InVision.