Pune-based Ahammune Biosciences raises $5 million in a Series A round

Ahammune Biosciences, a Pune-based clinical-stage therapeutics startup specializing in innovative treatments for skin diseases, has raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by pi Ventures.

The round also saw participation from Capital2B, Colossa Ventures, Bipin Agarwal, Unicornus Maximus LLP, and existing investors such as Ideaspring Capital, Kotak Alternate Assets, Legacy Assets LLP, and IAN.

The new investment will primarily support the company’s ongoing research and development efforts, specifically Phase II clinical trials for its drug candidate targeting vitiligo.

Who are t

Ahammune Biosciences, a Pune-based clinical-stage therapeutics startup specializing in innovative treatments for skin diseases, has raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by pi Ventures.

The round also saw participation from Capital2B, Colossa Ventures, Bipin Agarwal, Unicornus Maximus LLP, and existing investors such as Ideaspring Capital, Kotak Alternate Assets, Legacy Assets LLP, and IAN.

The new investment will primarily support the company’s ongoing research and development efforts, specifically Phase II clinical trials for its drug candidate targeting vitiligo.

Who are the founders?

Founded in 2016 by Parul Ganju and Krishnamurthy Natarajan, Ahammune Biosciences aims to create innovative solutions to treat and cure skin diseases.

The startup, which focuses on chronic skin conditions, leverages its proprietary small molecule therapeutics platform to target and enhance skin health.

It intends to deliver cost-effective innovative treatments that address unmet needs in dermatology, advancing the future of skin disease therapies.

Focus on Vitiligo treatment

Ahammune’s flagship drug candidate aims to treat vitiligo, a chronic skin depigmenting disorder affecting 1-2% of the global population. Vitiligo is known for causing unpredictable and recurring white patches on the skin, with no established cure currently available.

The startup's drug, which works as a topical application, is claimed to stop the spread of patches and stimulate the repigmentation process by activating color-producing cells in the skin. 

Discussing the treatment, Dr. Parul Ganju, co-founder and CEO of Ahammune, said, “Unlike existing treatments, our small molecule drug candidate does not cause generalized immunosuppression and has first-in-class mechanism of action, with an ability to not only stop patch spread, but also stimulate the function of color-producing cells in skin, thereby inducing repigmentation.”

The drug’s safety has already been demonstrated in Phase I trials involving healthy individuals, and Phase II trials will focus on its efficacy in patients with vitiligo.

Expansion of R&D and patent portfolio

Beyond its efforts to treat vitiligo, Ahammune plans to use the new funding to expand its research and development initiatives, as well as its patent portfolio.

The startup has developed a proprietary small molecule therapeutics platform designed to target key cellular processes that affect skin health and immunity.

This platform is being applied to address other immune-mediated skin diseases, with the company developing a strong pipeline of patented molecules for future dermatological treatments. 

Co-founder Dr. Krishnamurthy Natarajan, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, brings over 30 years of expertise in skin biology to the table, helping to drive the company’s innovations forward. Ahammune also benefits from a distinguished advisory board with extensive experience in drug discovery and development.