Pretzel Therapeutics Secures Funding from The Mito Fund Investment

The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation's venture philanthropy arm, The Mito Fund, has made an investment in Pretzel Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based biotech company with research facilities in Mölndal, Sweden. This investment further expands The Mito Fund's portfolio of companies focusing on mitochondrial disease research and treatment.

Pretzel Therapeutics is honoured by the commitment from The Mito Fund, whose mission aligns with their own aim to improve the lives of patients living with mitochondrial disease. The company is focused on using cellular energetics to improve survival and quality of life for various conditions.

Pretzel Therapeutics' lead program, PX578, has entered Phase 1 clinical development in the U.S. This therapeutic candidate aims to restore the function of mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerases, showing promise for treating POLG disorders and other severe conditions linked to mtDNA depletion.

The diseases targeted by PX578 include some of the most common and relentlessly progressive forms of mitochondrial disease. POLG-related mitochondrial diseases affect multiple organs and are one of the most common inherited mitochondrial disorders, impacting about 1 in 10,000 patients. Currently, there is no FDA-approved therapy for POLG-related mitochondrial diseases.

The Mito Fund conducts a thorough review process for investments, overseen by a committee of experts in mitochondrial disease and pharmaceutical development. The investment in Pretzel Therapeutics validates the promise of Pretzel's scientific approach and supports the development of PX578.

The UMDF looks forward to deepening the relationship with Pretzel Therapeutics to potentially get to an approved therapy. Pretzel Therapeutics has also shown commitment to partnering with patient advocacy groups like UMDF to advance POLG-related research.

Other companies in The Mito Fund portfolio include Napigen Therapeutics and Pierrepont Therapeutics. Napigen Therapeutics aims to harness the potential of mitochondria to impact human healthcare, while Pierrepont Therapeutics is focused on advancing to the clinic a proprietary intracellular enzyme replacement therapy for Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE).

Khondrion, another company in The Mito Fund's portfolio, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing therapies for primary mitochondrial disease (PMD). Their lead asset, sonlicromanol, is in clinical development for m.3243A>G Primary Mitochondrial Disease, targeting symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and others.

The investment in Pretzel Therapeutics by The Mito Fund underscores the growing interest and hope for finding effective treatments for mitochondrial diseases. With the support of organisations like The Mito Fund, companies like Pretzel Therapeutics continue to advance in their mission to improve the lives of those affected by these debilitating diseases.