RheumaGen, an Aurora, CO-based cell and gene therapy company, raised $15M in Series A funding.
The round was led by SPRIM Global Investments and William Taylor Nominees.
The company intends to use the funds to support the Phase I clinical trial of its lead program, RG0401, for treatment-resistant or refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Led by CEO Richard Freed and CSO Dr. Brian Freed, RheumaGen is developing a class of cell and gene therapies designed to cure autoimmune diseases at their source. It is focused on editing the human leukocyte antigen (HLA), or “immune gene,” so that the immune system does not attack healthy cells.
RG0401, its lead program, targets 10-20% of RA patients who are refractory or treatment-resistant and suffer substantial unmet need. The company is currently conducting RG0401 IND-enabling studies and plans to begin the Phase I clinical trial in 2026. it aims to cure refractory RA by treating its HLA source.
With a precision edit to a DNA marker(s) of the HLA gene, RG0401 is designed only to make a patient’s HLA molecules mirror those of a person resistant to RA, while maintaining the rest of the immune system as normal. This therapy changes harmful HLA alleles to healthy ones and prevents T cells from activating chronic autoimmune responses, thereby halting not only cell and tissue degradation but also the entire disease process with this approach.
FinSMEs
10/01/2025