Setara Biosciences launches with $90M for rare disease drug development

Setara Biosciences launches with $90 million in Series A funding following Jazz Pharmaceuticals' acquisition of Actio Biosciences for up to $1.32 billion. Formed by former Actio executives led by David Goldstein, Setara will advance a precision medicine pipeline targeting rare genetic diseases and broader indications. Its lead drug candidate, STAR-0871, is an oral TRPV4 inhibitor entering Phase 1b trials for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C and Phase 2a trials for overactive bladder.

Series A financing

• ▪Setara Biosciences, Inc. completed a $90 million Series A financing round
• ▪Investors participating in Setara Biosciences' $90 million Series A financing included Deerfield Management, Canaan, Droia Ventures, EcoR1, Euclidean Capital, Regeneron Ventures, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Company formation and leadership

• ▪Setara Biosciences was formed and spun out following Jazz Pharmaceuticals' acquisition of Actio Biosciences for Actio's lead epilepsy program ABS-1230
• ▪Actio Biosciences founder David Goldstein became president and executive chair of Setara Biosciences while maintaining his role at Jazz Pharmaceuticals through the ABS-1230 new drug application submission for KCNT1-related epilepsy

STAR-0871 development and clinical plans

• ▪Setara Biosciences' pipeline is led by STAR-0871, an oral small molecule TRPV4 inhibitor designed to treat Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C and overactive bladder
• ▪STAR-0871 received Rare Pediatric Disease, Orphan Drug, and Fast Track designations from the U.S. FDA for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C
• ▪Setara Biosciences plans to initiate a Phase 2a clinical study evaluating STAR-0871 in patients with overactive bladder
• ▪Setara Biosciences completed the healthy volunteer Phase 1 trial of STAR-0871 and plans to expand into a Phase 1b study in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C patients in 2027

Research strategy and early pipeline

• ▪Setara Biosciences is developing early-stage discovery programs focused on genetic epilepsies and expansion indications, including migraine
• ▪Setara Biosciences applies a strategy that starts with rare genetic diseases to identify targets and then expands those biological insights to treat broader, more prevalent conditions