MoonLake Immunotherapeutics develops Sonelokimab, a humanized Nanobody® that simultaneously blocks IL‑17A, IL‑17F and their heterodimers to treat serious inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Its tri‑domain, 40 kDa design improves tissue penetration and half‑life, aiming for higher response rates and longer remission in patients with moderate‑to‑severe skin and joint conditions.
Funding
$75M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Serious inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis are driven by over‑expression of interleukins IL‑17A and IL‑17F. Existing antibody therapies often have limited tissue penetration and may not fully block all IL‑17 dimers, leaving patients with unmet needs for effective, durable disease control.
Solution
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics is developing Sonelokimab, a humanized Nanobody® that simultaneously targets IL‑17A, IL‑17F, and their heterodimeric forms. The ~40 kDa tri‑domain construct combines two high‑affinity anti‑IL‑17 VHH domains with an albumin‑binding domain to enhance accumulation in inflamed tissue. This design improves tissue penetration and stability compared with conventional antibodies, enabling more complete inhibition of the IL‑17 pathway in difficult‑to‑reach sites. Sonelokimab is being evaluated in Phase 3 trials for hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriatic arthritis, and in Phase 2 studies for axial spondyloarthritis and palmoplantar pustulosis, aiming to provide higher response rates and longer-lasting remission for patients with these chronic conditions.
Target Audience
Primary customers are pharmaceutical developers and healthcare providers treating moderate‑to‑severe inflammatory skin and joint diseases, including dermatologists, rheumatologists, and specialty clinics managing psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic arthritis, and related conditions.
Features
- Tri‑domain Nanobody® architecture (two IL‑17A/F binding VHHs + albumin‑binding VHH) for multivalent inhibition of IL‑17A/A, IL‑17A/F, and IL‑17F/F dimers
- Small 40 kDa size enhances tissue penetration and access to inflamed joints and skin lesions
- Albumin‑binding domain prolongs systemic half‑life and concentrates drug in edematous inflammatory sites
- Engineered for high thermal stability and manufacturability, facilitating scalable production
- Clinical program includes Phase 3 VELA (HS) and IZAR (PsA) trials, plus Phase 2 studies in axial spondyloarthritis and palmoplantar pustulosis