SWEDEN —A Swedish clinical-stage biopharmaceutical venture has secured EUR 62.5 million in Series B equity financing to advance its primary drug candidate into mid-stage clinical evaluation for chronic advanced heart failure. Co-led by Novo Holdings and the Ljungström family office, the funding round included participation from Helsinn, Innovestor Life Science, Pureos Bioventures, Sound Bioventures, Industrifonden, Flerie and LLD Nybohov Invest AB. The newly raised capital will fully finance a 12-week Phase 2b trial involving approximately 400 patients across 12 countries, evaluating the efficacy and safety of two dosing regimens for the oral molecule AC01.
AnaCardio is a Sweden-based biopharmaceutical enterprise focused on designing novel therapies to enhance cardiac function in heart failure patients. Founded on research from Karolinska Institutet, the firm develops targeted small-molecule therapeutics aimed at improving heart muscle contractility.
This financial injection enables the venture to address a significant clinical gap in cardiovascular medicine. Standard therapies for advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction frequently leave one-third of patients inadequately treated, leading to high two-year mortality rates. Conventional treatments that augment heart contraction often carry serious safety risks, including arrhythmias and ischemia. By utilizing a selective ghrelin receptor agonist mechanism designed to increase cardiac output and ejection fraction without causing adverse cardiovascular events, the novel candidate provides a potential alternative to short-term inotropic options.
The investment reflects growing institutional backer confidence in targeted cardiovascular therapeutics capable of obtaining dual regulatory clearance from North American and European authorities. Successfully completing the upcoming Phase 2b study, scheduled to begin participant enrollment in late 2026, could yield a Phase 3-ready asset by 2028. This progression underscores shifting market interest toward specialized clinical-stage biotech platforms with validated proof-of-concept data and distinct safety profiles.
