Secretome Therapeutics Secures $20.4M to Develop Heart Failure Treatments

Secretome Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in Dallas, has recently concluded a successful $20.4 million financing round. This crucial funding is aimed at propelling the company forward by enabling the commencement of clinical trials for its leading therapeutic asset, STM-01, and facilitating the development of its pioneering pipeline.

The newly acquired capital is expected to sustain Secretome’s operations up to mid-2026 and will support several critical initiatives. Among these is the launch of two Phase 1 clinical trials for STM-01 in conditions such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The company anticipates gathering proof-of-concept data by the third quarter of 2025. Additionally, Secretome plans to transition the manufacturing process of STM-01 to an advanced 3-dimensional bioreactor technology to enhance production efficiency.

Furthermore, the funding will aid in the progression of STM-21 and other preclinical programs aimed at treating inflammatory conditions. The company is also set to outline the regulatory pathway for STM-01 in orphan indications, ensuring compliance and paving the way for potential approvals. To protect its innovations, Secretome will be submitting patents for next-generation cell and secretome products, building on the existing composition patents for STM-01 and STM-21.

Secretome has announced its plans to initiate two ascending dose Phase 1 trials of STM-01 before the end of 2024. The first trial, under the guidance of Dr. Sanjiv Shah from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, will focus on evaluating STM-01 in patients suffering from HFpEF. The second trial, an investigator-sponsored study led by Dr. Arshed Quyyumi of Emory University’s Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, will examine the effects of STM-01 on patients with non-ischemic DCM.

Vinny Jindal, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Secretome Therapeutics, expressed his gratitude towards the investors who share the company’s vision. He emphasized the challenges faced by stem cell therapies, particularly regarding manufacturing inconsistencies, and highlighted how Secretome’s neonatal CPC platform addresses these issues. Jindal believes that the platform’s consistency and potency position the company as a potential leader in the emerging field of cellular therapies.

Secretome Therapeutics specializes in the development of treatments derived from neonatal cardiac progenitor cells (nCPCs). Their primary focus is on addressing severe cardiovascular diseases and inflammation-driven conditions. STM-01, their lead therapy, is designed as a first-in-class cellular treatment aimed at mitigating inflammation, preventing fibrosis, and promoting tissue repair in conditions such as DCM and HFpEF. In addition to STM-01, the company is working on STM-21, a secretome-based therapeutic currently in preclinical stages, intended to treat inflammatory conditions including skin wounds and diabetes-related co-morbidities.

Through these advancements, Secretome Therapeutics aims to revolutionize the treatment landscape for cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, leveraging the unique properties of nCPCs to develop therapies that offer significant clinical benefits. The recent financing round marks a critical step in their journey, enabling the company to bring these promising therapies closer to the patients who need them.