What Sparrow Pharmaceuticals does

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted cardiometabolic therapeutics based on the inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD-1) to reduce intracellular cortisol in metabolically active tissues. The company's lead candidate, clofutriben (formerly SPI-62), is a once-daily, oral, highly potent and selective HSD-1 inhibitor designed to lower intracellular cortisol levels in liver, fat, pancreas, muscle, bone, and brain without suppressing systemic cortisol sufficiently to cause adrenal insufficiency. Clofutriben is in development across four indications: type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol (Phase 2b CAPTAIN-T2D), endogenous Cushing's syndrome (Phase 2 RESCUE), autonomous cortisol secretion (Phase 2 ACSpire and investigator-led DC-MACS in the UK), and polymyalgia rheumatica as a fixed-dose combination with prednisolone (SPI-47 / Phase 2 PROST!).

The company is pre-revenue and operates with a 1-10 employee team, conducting clinical trials in partnership with academic medical centers (including the Universities of Oxford and Sheffield), contract research organizations, and investigator sites. Commercial go-to-market upon regulatory approval is planned through traditional pharmaceutical sales channels targeting endocrinologists and diabetologists. Sparrow has raised approximately $145.3 million across four funding rounds from institutional life-sciences investors (OrbiMed, RA Capital Management, Forbion, RiverVest Venture Partners, and U.S. Venture Partners), with the most recent $95 million Series B closed in September 2025 to fund the Phase 2b CAPTAIN-T2D program through expected 2027 data. The company holds FDA Orphan Drug Designation for clofutriben in endogenous Cushing's syndrome and EMA Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) status.

Name

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals

Website

https://sparrowpharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing clofutriben, a once-daily oral HSD-1 inhibitor, for type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol, Cushing's syndrome, autonomous cortisol secretion, and polymyalgia rheumatica.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiometabolic Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiometabolic Pharmaceuticals (Cardiovascular/Diabetes/Obesity) (HLAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Endocrinology & Metabolic Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAD), Cardiology & Vascular Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAG)

Keywords

• HSD-1 inhibitors
• Cardiometabolic therapeutics
• Type 2 diabetes drugs
• Cushing syndrome treatment
• Polymyalgia rheumatica therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Pre-revenue clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company planning to commercialize drug candidates upon regulatory approval. Lead candidate clofutriben is in Phase 2b development for type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol, with additional indications in endogenous Cushing's syndrome, autonomous cortisol secretion, and polymyalgia rheumatica.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted cardiometabolic therapeutics centered on its lead candidate clofutriben, an oral once-daily selective inhibitor of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD-1) that reduces intracellular cortisol in metabolically active tissues. The compound is being developed for type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol, endogenous Cushing's syndrome, autonomous cortisol secretion, and as part of a fixed-dose combination (SPI-47) with prednisolone for polymyalgia rheumatica.

Product overview

Sparrow Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted cardiometabolic therapeutics. The company's core product portfolio centers on clofutriben (SPI-62), a novel HSD-1 inhibitor that reduces intracellular cortisol levels. Clofutriben is being developed both as a standalone therapy for type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol, endogenous Cushing's syndrome, and autonomous cortisol secretion, and as a fixed-dose combination (SPI-47) with prednisolone for polymyalgia rheumatica. The company is conducting multiple Phase 2 clinical trials including CAPTAIN-T2D, RESCUE, PROST!, ACSpire, and DC-MACS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPI-62: Original development code name for clofutriben, a potent and selective HSD-1 inhibitor
• SPI-47
• clofutriben

Products and services

• Clofutriben (SPI-62) Clofutriben is a once-daily, oral, highly potent and selective inhibitor of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD-1) designed to reduce intracellular cortisol levels in liver, fat, pancreas, muscle, bone, and brain. It is being developed for patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes with elevated cortisol, endogenous Cushing's syndrome, autonomous cortisol secretion, and (in combination) polymyalgia rheumatica.
• SPI-47 SPI-47 is a fixed-dose combination of clofutriben (SPI-62) and prednisolone in development for polymyalgia rheumatica, designed to maintain the anti-inflammatory efficacy of prednisolone while reducing its metabolic side effects such as glucocorticoid-induced diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, and weight gain.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77.1% of 397 screened patients with difficult-to-control Type 2 diabetes had elevated cortisol levels associated with increased cardiovascular disease prevalence
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2024Sparrow is collaborating with University of Oxford on DC-MACS, an investigator-led Phase 2 clinical study of clofutriben for the treatment of autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS). The study is led by Prof. Jeremy Tomlinson, PhD, a pioneering HSD-1 researcher who first described a patient with a Cushing's tumor but no signs or symptoms of Cushing's syndrome because of HSD-1 deficiency. The study is supported by the UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council and conducted in NIHR-supported clinical research facilities.
• University of SheffieldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2024Sparrow is collaborating with University of Sheffield on DC-MACS, a Phase 2 clinical study of clofutriben for autonomous cortisol secretion. The study is led by Prof. John Newell-Price, PhD, the current President of the Endocrine Society. The study is conducted jointly in NIHR-supported clinical research facilities in both Oxford and Sheffield, with 40 patients across two sites (Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Corcept Therapeutics: Corcept is the established leader in cortisol modulation, with Korlym (mifepristone) approved for Cushing's syndrome. Both companies target cortisol-driven disease, though Corcept uses glucocorticoid receptor antagonism while Sparrow targets intracellular cortisol generation via HSD-1 inhibition.
• Xeris Biopharma: Xeris markets Recorlev (levoketoconazole) for endogenous Cushing's syndrome, directly overlapping Sparrow's lead orphan indication. Both are pursuing novel mechanisms for cortisol excess in a similar endocrinologist prescriber base.
• Recordati: Recordati markets Isturisa (osilodrostat) for Cushing's syndrome and has a broad endocrine rare disease portfolio. Directly comparable as a competitor in the same Cushing's syndrome indication, with established commercial infrastructure Sparrow lacks.

Emerging players

• Mineralys Therapeutics: Mineralys is developing aldosterone synthase inhibitors (lorundrostat) for hypertension and cardiorenal conditions, sharing the hormonal-modulation therapeutic approach in cardiometabolic disease. Both are clinical-stage biotechs targeting underserved endocrine-driven patient populations.
• Crinetics Pharmaceuticals: Crinetics develops oral small molecule therapies for rare endocrine diseases, with paltusotine approved for acromegaly. Comparable as a clinical-stage specialist in endocrine disorders with a similar go-to-market focus on endocrinologists.
• Soleno Therapeutics: Soleno is a small clinical-stage biopharma with DCCR (diazoxide choline) for Prader-Willi syndrome — a rare endocrine/metabolic disorder. Comparable as a focused, small-team biotech developing a single targeted molecule for an underserved endocrine patient population.

Broad incumbents

• Madrigal Pharmaceuticals: Madrigal commercializes Rezdiffra (resmetirom) for MASH, a cardiometabolic liver disease. Comparable as a recently-commercialized clinical-stage-to-commercial biotech in the cardiometabolic specialty space with novel mechanism credentials.
• Eli Lilly: Lilly markets Mounjaro/Zepbound (tirzepatide), the dominant GLP-1 in T2D and obesity. Represents the primary competitive threat to clofutriben's eventual T2D commercial opportunity given Lilly's installed prescriber relationships and formulary position.
• Novo Nordisk: Novo Nordisk markets Ozempic/Wegovy (semaglutide) and the broader GLP-1 franchise that has redefined T2D treatment standards. Comparable as the incumbent whose therapeutic paradigm Sparrow must differentiate against.

Others

• Pfizer: Pfizer previously developed HSD-1 inhibitors (e.g., PF-915275) for metabolic disease that did not advance commercially. Comparable as a historical investor in the HSD-1 mechanism and a major incumbent whose prior failures inform the regulatory and clinical landscape Sparrow is entering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sparrowpharma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sparrowpharma

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sparrow Pharmaceuticals