{"id":964837,"date":"2026-05-19T15:03:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/oorja-bio-launches-as-a-clinical-stage-company-to-develop-groundbreaking-therapies-for-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf-and-other-fibrotic-diseases\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T15:03:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:03:11","slug":"oorja-bio-launches-as-a-clinical-stage-company-to-develop-groundbreaking-therapies-for-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf-and-other-fibrotic-diseases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/oorja-bio-launches-as-a-clinical-stage-company-to-develop-groundbreaking-therapies-for-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf-and-other-fibrotic-diseases\/","title":{"rendered":"Oorja Bio Launches as a Clinical-Stage Company to Develop Groundbreaking Therapies for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Other Fibrotic Diseases"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Company announces $30 million Series A financing and founding leadership team with expertise in pulmonary drug innovation and track record advancing novel therapies to patients\u00a0<\/em>\n <\/p>\n

\n ORJ-001, set to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial in IPF in 2026, is a novel approach to restore the function of alveolar epithelial type 2 (AEC2) cells that are central to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis<\/em>\n <\/p>\n

HOUSTON, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oorja Bio, Inc.,<\/a> a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing groundbreaking therapies for fibrotic and cardiopulmonary diseases, today announced the company\u2019s launch and $30 million in Series A financing from its founding investor, Westlake BioPartners. The funding will be used to advance the clinical development of ORJ-001, a first-in-class therapeutic to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and build a pipeline of assets to address other diseases involving fibrosis or cardiopulmonary function. Oorja\u00a0Bio has received IND clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical advancement of ORJ-001 and plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial this year in IPF patients.<\/p>\n

Oorja Bio acquired the global rights to ORJ-001 as part of the company\u2019s in-licensing strategy for therapeutic innovation in fibrosis. ORJ-001 is the first asset to be acquired by the company to build a portfolio of therapeutics that target the underlying pathophysiology of fibrotic diseases, filling a therapeutic gap for treatments that go beyond symptom management in this challenging disease area. ORJ-001 is a peptide therapeutic for subcutaneous administration designed to treat IPF by restoring the function of alveolar epithelial type 2 (AEC2) cells, promoting alveolar repair and reducing the inflammatory and fibrotic signaling that drives pulmonary fibrosis. In extensive preclinical studies in validated animal models of pulmonary fibrosis, ORJ-001 reversed established fibrosis and regenerated normal lung and alveolar morphology. In additional preclinical studies, ORJ-001 produced positive effects on biomarkers of tissue remodeling associated with fibrotic disease progression.<\/p>\n

\u201cOorja Bio\u2019s founding team is very well positioned to accelerate promising drug assets and open up a new chapter for treating IPF and other fibrotic diseases \u2013 an area of long-standing challenge for drug development that lacks disease modifying therapies,\u201d said Beth Seidenberg, M.D., Founding Managing Director of Westlake BioPartners. \u201cWe look forward to continuing to work with the Oorja Bio team as they advance ORJ-001 in the clinic and build a pipeline to bring new therapies that can redefine the standard of care for patients with IPF and fibrotic diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oorja Bio is led by a founding team of biotechnology leaders, each with a track record of success in strategy, drug development, new treatment paradigms, and company building. Sujay Kango, Chief Executive Officer, and Janethe Pena, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, worked together to lead the product strategy and clinical development of sotatercept at Acceleron Pharma, prior to the company\u2019s acquisition by Merck & Co. They were key leaders behind the innovative study designs, clinical implementation and regulatory path for sotatercept, a first-in-class, biologic medicine to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), supporting its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first drug in ten years to be approved for the treatment of PAH.<\/p>\n