FDBusiness.com

Nestlé Health Science is investing SFr42.3 million (US$42.5 million) in Pronutria Biosciences, a US start-up that is developing amino-acid based products with the potential to treat serious medical conditions. Known as the ‘building blocks of life’, amino acids combine to build proteins in the body and are critical for many of its functions. Deficiencies are linked to neurological, metabolic, muscle and liver disorders.

Pronutria will use the investment to fund further research, including advancing the development of its novel compound PN-107. This compound has potential to treat the problem of lost muscle mass caused by, for example, aging, long bed rest or immobilisation.

The proceeds from this financing will fund further clinical development of Pronutria’s first-in-class lead product candidates, including PN-107 for muscle wasting indications, as well as the advancement of the company’s pipeline of therapeutics to treat many other diseases impacted by amino acid dysregulation.

Nestlé Health Science CEO, Greg Behar, who will be taking a seat on the Pronutria Board of Directors, comments: “Across our existing business in Consumer Care, Medical Nutrition and Novel Therapeutic Nutrition, we are forging an innovation frontier for nutritional therapy in healthcare. Pronutria is bringing a paradigm changing science with new clinical approaches addressing unmet needs that are associated with significant health economic costs. We see strong potential in the technology platform and this unique partnership, given our healthcare expertise, existing portfolio and global coverage.”