Confo Therapeutics has been awarded a EUR 1 million grant from Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) to support research into ultra-long-acting antibody-based therapeutics targeting G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).

The two-year grant will fund the development of bi- and multi-specific antibodies for metabolic and endocrine conditions such as obesity.

Cedric Ververken, chief executive officer of Confo Therapeutics, said: “This latest grant from VLAIO further validates our technology and reflects the progress we are making in developing our proprietary antibody-based programs, specifically in metabolic and endocrine diseases with high unmet medical needs. The funding will aid the advancement of ultra-long-acting GPCR antibodies for a range of chronic diseases, reinforcing our leadership in GPCR drug discovery and development. We are grateful to VLAIO for its continued support, which will strengthen our capabilities to progressing these innovative programs.”

Christel Menet, chief scientific officer, added: “Long-acting therapies with superior efficacy and improved pharmacokinetics are needed to overcome the limitations of peptide-based treatments. With VLAIO’s support, we will accelerate development of novel treatments for obesity and other metabolic indications, including bi- and multi-specific GPCR-targeting antibodies to overcome current hurdles and deliver meaningful and lasting clinical benefits.”

Confo’s proprietary platform facilitates the discovery and development of antibodies and small molecules targeting challenging GPCRs. The company’s first antibody agonist targeting the melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) was published in Nature Communications last year. Since then, Confo has extended its antibody discovery efforts to multiple GPCR targets, highlighting the potential of its platform and expanding its pipeline. The company holds exclusive licenses in GPCR research through the Steyaert patent estate, including technologies such as Nb35 for structural biology.