Tioga Pharmaceuticals is a clinical‑stage biotech developing non‑hormonal therapies for women’s health, with a focus on treating menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Its lead candidate, asimadoline, is a peripherally restricted kappa‑opioid receptor agonist that modulates thermoregulation pathways, and the company expects key clinical data by 2026.
Funding
$10M 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
Menopausal women experiencing vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) often cannot use hormone therapy due to contraindications or personal preference, leaving them with limited safe and effective treatment options.
Solution
Tioga Pharmaceuticals is developing asimadoline, a peripherally restricted kappa‑opioid receptor (KOR) agonist, to address menopause‑related vasomotor symptoms without hormonal exposure. By selectively modulating peripheral sensory and autonomic pathways that control thermoregulation, asimadoline suppresses KNDy neuron signaling implicated in hot flash generation. The compound is designed to act outside the central nervous system, reducing the risk of central opioid side effects while providing targeted relief of vasomotor episodes. Tioga advances the program through clinical collaborations with academic investigators and sites, aiming to generate pivotal trial data by 2026. Successful development would add a non‑hormonal, mechanism‑based therapy to the limited options currently available for women unsuitable for hormone replacement.
Target Audience
Primary customers are pharmaceutical partners, clinical researchers, and healthcare providers seeking a non‑hormonal treatment for menopausal vasomotor symptoms, particularly women who cannot use hormone therapy.
Features
- Peripherally restricted KOR agonist that avoids central opioid activity
- Mechanistic targeting of thermoregulatory pathways via KNDy neuron suppression
- Oral formulation intended for chronic use in menopausal women
- Clinical-stage development with ongoing Phase II studies (NCT# 07042516)
- Designed for patients contraindicated for or preferring to avoid hormone therapy