Confo Therapeutics NV

Founded in 2015 and based in Brussels, Belgium, Confo Therapeutics, a spin-out from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and VIB, is a biopharmaceutical company that develops GPCR (G-protein-coupled receptors) targeted therapeutics by leveraging its technology, ConfoBody. In July 2024, Confo Therapeutics raised EUR 60 million in series B funding led by investors Ackermans & van Haaren, with participation from other investors Driehaus Capital Management, Quest for Growth,  BioGeneration Ventures, Capricorn, etc. The firm, as of July 2024, is led by its CEO and Director, Cedric Ververken. Confo Therapeutics specializes in the discovery and development of drugs targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of membrane proteins involved in numerous biological processes.

The company’s core technology utilizes conformationally selective VHH antibodies, known as ConfoBodies®, to stabilize GPCRs, facilitating the design of novel therapeutic agents. ConfoBodies are camel single-domain antibodies that stabilize distinct druggable conformers of flexible protein targets and reveal previously inaccessible structural features. It also identifies the differentiating chemical series with the appropriate therapeutic mode of action.   The company plans to utilize the July 2024 funding to advance two, wholly-owned programs through Phase 1 and two additional programs to IND approval, including molecules targeting GPR75 for obesity.

Confo will expand its portfolio of GPCR-targeting small molecules and therapeutic antibodies, which includes an emphasis on agonistic antibodies.