7. Exploring new possibilities in reproductive medicine

ReproNovo demonstrated continued investor interest in the area of reproductive medicine by closing a $65 million Series A round earlier this year. In this episode, ReproNovo’s CEO and co-founder Jean Duvall joins your host, Cormac Sheridan, to discuss the company’s development strategy and how it put together the financing deal.

ReproNovo is not a typical Series A company. It has secured rights to two clinical-stage assets that originated in large pharma companies. Novartis originally developed leflutrozole (RPN-001) before licensing the molecule to Mereo Biopharma. Merck originated nolasiban (RPN-002), which ObsEva took into phase 3 development. As well as having well-understood mechanisms of action and supportive clinical data, the two molecules address clear unmet medical needs and have significant commercial prospects. 

Although neither program went the full distance under their original developers, ReproNovo is now subtly repositioning them to optimise their potential. Leflutrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, is currently undergoing a phase 2 trial in the U.S. for the future indication of infertility in men with low serum testosterone. Nolasiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, is in preparation for two phase 2 studies next year. The company will evaluate its potential to improve the success rates of in vitro fertilisation procedures and to ameliorate adenomyosis, an under-recognised condition caused by tissue from the lining of the uterus growing into the muscular area of the uterus.

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