Allena raises $53m to advance ALLN-177 into phase 3 clinical studies

ALLN-177 is designed to treat secondary hyperoxaluria in patients with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones.

Partner Fund Management led the Series C financing round, which included investors Fidelity Management & Research and Wellington Management.

Allena’s existing investors, Frazier Healthcare, HBM BioCapital, and Pharmstandard International have also participated in the round.

The company will also use the proceeds to evaluate new indications for ALLN-177, including oxalate nephropathy and primary hyperoxaluria, and to develop new product candidates using its non-systemic oral protein therapeutic platform.

Allena is currently undertaking two additional phase 2 trials of ALLN-177 in the US for calcium oxalate kidney stone patients with hyperoxaluria.

The company has so far raised $96m in private equity financing.

Allena Pharmaceuticals COO Louis Brenner "We have made important progress since our Series B financing late last year, with the completion of a Phase 2a clinical trial and the evolution of our company.

"Hyperoxaluria is a significant metabolic disorder with no approved pharmacological treatment. We can now accelerate the development of our novel therapy to address an unmet need for patients with hyperoxaluria."

ALLN-177 targets oxalate in the gastrointestinal tract in order to reduce the burden of dietary and endogenously produced oxalate.

Allena said ALLN-177 has the potential to reduce the oxalate available systemically for deposition as calcium oxalate crystals or stones in the kidneys, as well as lower the incidence of calcium oxalate related complications.