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§ Private Profile · 50 Francisco St Ste 245, San Francisco, California, 94133, United States
OrphoMed is a technology company.
OrphoMed develops first-in-class dimer therapeutics for gastrointestinal disorders, focusing on Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea (IBS-D). The company leverages a proprietary platform technology to engineer molecules, enhancing pharmacological properties from proven mechanisms. Its lead program, ORP-101, directly addresses IBS-D symptoms, offering a targeted approach.
Nikhilesh Singh, Ph.D., founded OrphoMed in 2014, driven by the insight that a novel dimer therapeutics approach could advance drug development. His extensive pharmaceutical leadership experience laid the scientific groundwork. Frank Steinberg also co-founded the company, contributing medical advisory expertise to its early research and development efforts.
The company focuses on patients enduring inadequately controlled gastrointestinal disorders, specifically targeting the substantial unmet medical need within IBS-D. OrphoMed’s vision is to advance a pipeline of novel therapies, providing superior efficacy and safety profiles, to ultimately improve quality of life for individuals suffering from debilitating GI conditions.
OrphoMed has raised $39.0M across 1 funding round.
OrphoMed has raised $39.0M in total across 1 funding round.
OrphoMed has raised $39.0M in total across 1 funding round.
OrphoMed's investors include Takeda Ventures, Frank Torti, Mario Family Funds, Art Pappas, Relativity Healthcare Partners.
OrphoMed has raised $39.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $39.0M Series A in May 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2017 | $39M Series A | Takeda Ventures, Frank Torti | Mario Family Funds, ART Pappas, Relativity Healthcare Partners | Announced |
OrphoMed is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel dimer therapeutics for gastrointestinal disorders, particularly irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D).[1][2][3] Its lead candidate, ORP-101, targets inadequately controlled GI conditions using a proprietary platform that engineers improved pharmacological properties from proven molecules, addressing unmet needs like IBS-D with no identifiable cause.[1][2] The company serves patients with debilitating GI disorders, solving problems of limited treatment options through first-in-class dimer conjugates, and raised $39 million in Series A funding in 2017 from investors including New Enterprise Associates, Takeda Ventures, Pappas Capital, and Relativity Healthcare, indicating early growth momentum.[2][5]
Founded in 2015 in the San Francisco Bay Area, OrphoMed was established by Nikhilesh Singh, Ph.D., who engineered its proprietary dimer platform technology.[2][4][5] The idea emerged from leveraging proven mechanisms of action to create enhanced therapies for GI disorders, with early traction marked by the 2017 $39 million Series A round that fueled advancement of ORP-101 into Phase 2 trials.[2][5] Pivotal moments include ORP-101 passing its first and second planned interim analyses in Phase 2 studies for IBS-D, demonstrating clinical progress.[2]
OrphoMed rides the trend of precision biotechnology in GI therapeutics, where proprietary platforms repurpose validated mechanisms into superior drugs amid rising demand for IBS-D and motility disorder treatments.[1][2][6] Timing aligns with growing recognition of GI unmet needs, bolstered by market forces like increasing IBS prevalence and investor interest in clinical-stage biotechs, as seen in its 2017 funding amid Bay Area biotech boom.[5] It influences the ecosystem by advancing dimer tech potentially applicable beyond GI (e.g., pain, cystic fibrosis), contributing to innovation in small molecule drugs and opioid receptor modulation.[6]
OrphoMed's Phase 2 successes position it for potential Phase 3 trials or partnerships, with pipeline expansion into pain and cystic fibrosis signaling broader GI and beyond applications.[2][6] Trends like AI-driven drug engineering and GI market growth (projected to expand with aging populations) will shape its path, potentially evolving its influence through licensing deals or acquisitions by big pharma seeking dimer platforms. This clinical momentum ties back to its core mission: transforming proven science into best-in-class GI therapies for patients long underserved.[1][2]