Braveheart Bio Raises $185M Series A to Advance Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Drug Licensed from Hengrui
核心洞察
Braveheart Bio (搜索) secured $185 million in Series A funding to develop BHB-1893 (搜索), a cardiac myosin (搜索) inhibitor licensed from China's Hengrui Pharma for treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (搜索).
The drug aims to challenge Bristol Myers Squibb (搜索)'s Camzyos, currently the only approved treatment for the condition, which generated $843 million in sales over nine months.
BHB-1893 (搜索) is already in Phase 3 testing in China for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (搜索), with global late-stage trials planned to begin in 2026.
Braveheart Bio (搜索) formally launched Wednesday with $185 million in Series A funding to advance BHB-1893 (搜索), a cardiac myosin (搜索) inhibitor the company positions as a potential "best-in-class" treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (搜索) (HCM). The startup licensed the drug from China-based Hengrui Pharma in a deal worth potentially more than $1 billion, marking another significant cross-border partnership in the growing trend of U.S. companies turning to Chinese-originated therapeutics.
The company is led by CEO Travis Murdoch, former head of immunology startup HI-Bio, which Biogen acquired last year. Biogen CEO Chris Viehbacher chairs Braveheart's board, with backing from prominent investment firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Forbion, and OrbiMed.
Targeting an Underserved Market
BHB-1893 (搜索) enters a competitive landscape dominated by Bristol Myers Squibb (搜索)'s Camzyos, which became the first approved treatment for obstructive HCM in 2022. Camzyos generated $843 million in sales over the first nine months of this year, demonstrating significant market demand for effective HCM therapies.
However, substantial unmet medical needs remain in HCM treatment. Many patients continue to show evidence of cardiac blockage or reduced heart pumping capacity despite current therapies. The complex dosing schedule and risk mitigation protocols associated with Camzyos have also limited uptake among physicians and patients.
"There's still a significant unmet need," Murdoch told BioPharma Dive, noting that many patients still have evidence of blockage or reduced cardiac output. Additionally, no experimental medicines have yet succeeded in Phase 3 studies for non-obstructive HCM, which accounts for approximately one-third of patients with the condition.
Clinical Development Progress
Hengrui has already advanced BHB-1893 (搜索) into mid-stage testing for non-obstructive HCM and Phase 3 studies in China for the obstructive form of the disease. Under the licensing agreement, Braveheart will initiate global late-stage testing in 2026.
Phase 1 data presented at a medical meeting in August demonstrated "rapid and clinically meaningful" improvements in blood flow out of the heart, according to the company. The safety profile supports a "simple dosing regime," potentially addressing one of the key limitations of current HCM treatments.
Like other drugs in development for HCM, BHB-1893 (搜索) functions as a cardiac myosin (搜索) inhibitor, designed to reduce the forcefulness of heart contractions to alleviate symptoms associated with the progressive condition.
Strategic Licensing Trend
Braveheart's deal with Hengrui reflects a broader trend of U.S. and European startups licensing drugs from Chinese companies. According to BioPharma Dive data, at least 20 such deals occurred this year between Chinese biotechs and privately held Western companies, enabling new ventures to launch with drugs already in clinical testing.
The licensing agreement with Hengrui includes $32.5 million in cash and an equal amount in Braveheart shares for rights outside Greater China and Taiwan. Hengrui could receive an additional $10 million payment in the near term and is eligible for over $1 billion in future milestones plus sales royalties.
"This particular molecule stood out in that search for its potential," Murdoch said, emphasizing that the team evaluated opportunities globally, not exclusively in China. "This is really a story about finding the most compelling molecule."
Competitive Landscape
BHB-1893 (搜索) will compete against several other cardiac myosin (搜索) inhibitors in development. Cytokinetics (搜索) has a drug that could receive approval later this year, while companies like Edgewise Therapeutics are also advancing HCM treatments designed to improve upon Camzyos.
Braveheart claims BHB-1893 (搜索) has the potential to enhance "safety, efficacy, and convenience of care" for both patients and physicians compared to existing options. The company's focus on addressing the limitations of current therapies, particularly around dosing complexity and incomplete symptom resolution, positions it to capture market share in the growing HCM treatment space.