Vaderis hauls in $152M to test an AKT-targeting drug

An article from Emerging biotech Vaderis hauls in $152M to test an AKT-targeting drug The startup is one of at least a few young companies zeroing in on the rare bleeding disorder, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, with a more precise AKT blocker. Published Aug. 11, 2026 Gwendolyn Wu Senior Reporter Share Copy link Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print License Add us on Google Vaderis Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm working on a treatment for a rare, inherited bleeding disorder, has banked $152 million in a Series B venture round.

The fundraise announced Tuesday comes alongside news that Vaderis has started late-stage testing of that experimental drug, called engasertib, in people with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, or HHT. The company now has enough cash to sell engasertib on its own should the drug succeed in testing and get to market. “We'll look at all strategic options as we go forward, but now we’re in a position to fully execute everything we intend to between now and 2029,” said Azmi Nabulsi, Vaderis’ CEO, in an interview with BioPharma Dive.

In people with HHT, genetic mutations cause abnormal blood vessels to form, triggering a host of potential health problems from persistent nosebleeds to chronic anemia or even heart failure. It also results in the appearance of small, visible blood vessels on the skin called telangiectasias. Though estimates vary, Vaderis believes the disease to affect 1 out of every 3,800 people in the U.S.

No curative therapies exist for HHT. Current treatments manage symptoms or involve procedures that can either destroy or block blood flow into malformed arteries. Multiple types of cancer drugs, among them Roche’s Avastin, are also used off-label to treat complications.

With engasertib, Vaderis is taking a page from those cancer drugs, but specifically tailoring its treatment to HHT patients. The medicine targets an enzyme called AKT that’s involved in cell survival and growth but is hyperactive in HHT. Inhibiting AKT’s activity could normalize blood vessel production, said Pierre Saint-Mezard, the company’s chief scientific officer.

AKT inhibitors are a known commodity. One, AstraZeneca’s Truqap, is approved for breast cancer. Vaderis is one of at least a few others testing these kinds of drugs against HHT, hoping that a more precise approach can be effective while avoiding some of the tolerability issues — like hyperglycemia — associated with the class.

Engasertib specifically targets two specific versions of the enzyme, AKT1 and AKT2, which Saint-Mezard hypothesizes should be potent and safe enough to be useful as a “chronic therapy that can put this disease at bay.” “We’re giving the patients back their lives, not just controlling their symptoms,” Nabulsi said. Engasertib’s Phase 3 trial could produce initial results in 2028, according to a federal database. Life Sciences at Goldman Sachs Alternatives and TCGX co-led the Series B round.

Omega Funds, EQT Life Sciences and Medicxi participated alongside multiple other investors. “The company’s strong scientific foundation, disciplined execution and clear focus on addressing a significant unmet medical need gave us conviction in both the financing and the Phase 3 program,” said Colin Walsh, managing director at Life Sciences at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, in a statement. Add us on Google Share Copy link Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print License Filed Under: Biotech