Cerenis Therapeutics is a privately-held pharmaceutical company working to develop breakthrough HDL-related therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL), popularly known as "good" cholesterol, is responsible for removing excess cholesterol from the body. HDL is an important target area for new therapeutic agents to treat cardiovascular disease, which is the leading killer of men and women in industrialized nations.
The Ann Arbor-based company is pursuing a range of HDL based products with the goal of reducing artery plaque instead of just preventing its buildup (like Lipitor).
Founded by some of the same people who formed Esperion Therapeutics (purchased by
Pfizer Inc. for $1.3 billion in 2003), Cerenis raised $84 million in Series A and Series B financing, and in April, expanded its space from 2,100 to 4,400 square feet.
The company has a staff of 10 split between its Ann Arbor and French operations. It plans to double its staff within the next 18 months.