Maze Therapeutics secures $115m for kidney disease treatments

Maze Therapeutics has successfully concluded a Series D financing round, securing $115 million to advance the development of its primary drug candidates, MZE829 and MZE782. This financial boost includes the conversion of previously acquired convertible notes by existing investors.

Deep Track Capital and Frazier Life Sciences spearheaded the financing round with participation from Logos Capital and Janus Henderson Investors. The round also saw contributions from existing investors such as ARCH Venture Partners, Third Rock Ventures, GV, Matrix Capital Management, General Catalyst, and Woodline Partners.

MZE829, an oral APOL1 inhibitor, is being evaluated as a potential treatment for APOL1 kidney disease, specifically in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The company plans to initiate a Phase II clinical trial by the first quarter of the upcoming year.

Simultaneously, Maze Therapeutics is conducting a Phase I study of MZE782, an oral SCL6A19 inhibitor, in healthy volunteers. They aim to further investigate this candidate for treating chronic kidney disease and phenylketonuria. Results from the Phase I trial are expected in the latter half of 2025.

JP Morgan played a pivotal role as the placement agent for Maze Therapeutics during this financing round. The company continues to make strides in its pipeline development through its Compass platform, which uses genetic insights to identify biological pathways associated with diseases in specific patient groups.

Jason Coloma, CEO of Maze Therapeutics, expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from long-term investors and welcomed the new collaborators, Deep Track, Frazier, and Logos. He emphasized that the additional resources from this financing would enable the company to optimize the upcoming Phase II trial of MZE829 and explore the potential of its lead programs further. Coloma highlighted that this financing represents a significant milestone for the company and the patients they aim to help.

In May 2023, Maze Therapeutics signed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Sanofi for the glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) program and MZE001, an oral substrate reduction therapy aimed at treating Pompe disease.