Confo Therapeutics
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Confo Therapeutics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Confo Therapeutics
- Legal name
- Confo Therapeutics NV
- Website
- https://confotherapeutics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Confo Therapeutics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- GPCR-targeted Therapeutics
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Endocrinology & Metabolic Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Engineered Protein Therapeutics (de novo/AI-designed proteins, novel scaffolds) (HLAAAAAJ), Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI), Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC), Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)
Keywords
Where Confo Therapeutics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Confo Therapeutics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Licensing and milestone payments: Confo generates revenue through licensing agreements where pharmaceutical partners pay upfront fees, milestone payments tied to clinical development progress, and royalties on net sales. Example: Eli Lilly deal includes $40M upfront, up to $590M in milestones per program, and tiered royalties.
- Government grants: Non-dilutive funding from VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship) to support R&D efforts in drug discovery targeting Class B GPCRs for endocrine and metabolic diseases.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Confo Therapeutics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Confo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops conformation-selective small-molecule and antibody-based therapeutics against G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for metabolic and endocrine diseases. The company applies its proprietary ConfoBody®-based drug discovery platform to identify novel agonists, antagonists, inverse agonists, and allosteric modulators of class A and B GPCRs, advancing proprietary drug candidates internally and out-licensing them to global pharmaceutical companies for late-stage clinical development and commercialization.
Product overview
Confo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a proprietary GPCR drug discovery platform. The company develops both small molecule and antibody-based therapeutics targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for metabolic and endocrine diseases. The core technology platform includes ConfoBody®, ConfoChimer®, ConfoGen®, ConfoSensor®, and ConfoStructure® technologies for discovering and developing conformation-selective GPCR modulators. The clinical pipeline includes CFTX-1554 (AT2R antagonist for peripheral pain, licensed to Eli Lilly, in Phase 2) and CFTX-2034 (SSTR5 agonist antibody for Post-Bariatric Hypoglycemia, in IND-enabling studies). Discovery programs target GPR75, GLP1R, GIPR, Amylin R, GCGR for obesity, and PTHR1 for hypoparathyroidism.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CFTX-1554 Novel angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonist in Phase 2a clinical development for chronic peripheral/neuropathic pain. A non-opioid approach designed to address neuropathic pain while avoiding centrally mediated side effects such as addiction and sedation. Out-licensed worldwide to Eli Lilly, which is conducting clinical development beyond Phase 1.
- CFTX-2034 Antibody-based somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) agonist designed to treat Post-Bariatric Hypoglycemia (PBH) and related hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia disorders. Selectively agonizes SSTR5 to suppress insulin and incretin (e.g., GLP-1) secretion and restore glycemic control, with preclinical data supporting a long half-life suitable for once-monthly subcutaneous administration. Confo's first agonistic antibody development candidate.
- GPR75 Antagonist Program (Obesity) Small molecule GPR75 antagonist program for the treatment of obesity. Targets an orphan class A GPCR where loss-of-function variants in humans are associated with a 54% lower risk of obesity, positioning the program as a non-incretin, potentially disease-modifying approach to obesity. Currently in lead optimization.
- Multiple Obesity Programs (GLP1R, GIPR, Amylin R, GCGR) Programs targeting GLP1R, GIPR, Amylin R, and GCGR receptors using agonist and antagonist approaches for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Part of Confo's multi-modality obesity strategy alongside the GPR75 program. Currently in discovery stage.
- Hypoparathyroidism Program (PTHR1) Discovery-stage program targeting the parathyroid hormone receptor 1 (PTHR1) with an agonist approach for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism. Currently in discovery stage.
Quantifiable outcome
- 54% lower risk of obesity in humans with loss of function variants in the GPR75 gene
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Confo Therapeutics
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Confo Therapeutics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Confo Therapeutics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Daiichi SankyocoreCollaboration to discover novel medicines for CNS diseases targeting GPCRs.
- Eli Lilly and CompanycoreWorldwide licensing agreement for CFTX-1554, a novel AT2R antagonist for peripheral/neuropathic pain. Confo received $40M upfront and is eligible for up to $590M in milestones per program plus tiered royalties. Confo maintains co-investment option after clinical proof-of-concept.
- RegeneroncoreCollaborative agreement for GPCR-targeting antibody discovery using Confo's technology platform.
- RocheminorEarly drug discovery collaboration focused on GPCR targets.
- LundbeckminorDrug discovery collaboration focused on GPCR targets for CNS diseases.
- AbCelleracoreResearch collaboration for GPCR-targeting antibody discovery. AbCellera's antibody discovery capabilities combined with Confo's GPCR platform technology.
- VIB (Flanders Institute of Biotechnology)coreFounding institute and licensor of Steyaert patents for ConfoBody® technology. Confo Therapeutics was spun out of Professor Jan Steyaert's lab at VIB and VUB in 2015.
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)coreFounding institute. Confo Therapeutics was spun out of Professor Jan Steyaert's lab at VUB and VIB in 2015.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Confo Therapeutics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sosei Heptares: Japan/UK-based GPCR-focused structural biology drug discovery company with a comparable StaR® platform for stabilizing GPCR conformations and generating small molecules and biologics. Closest direct peer given overlapping GPCR target space, structural biology approach, and big-pharma partnership model.
- Septerna: US-based clinical-stage GPCR drug discovery company using native GPCR structural biology and computational tools to develop small molecules against previously undruggable GPCRs. Highly comparable on platform philosophy, GPCR focus, and modality (small molecule).
- Structure Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing oral small molecules for GPCR targets in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Directly comparable on GPCR focus, metabolic disease pipeline (obesity, diabetes-adjacent indications), and partnership-driven business model.
- Crinetics Pharmaceuticals: US-based clinical-stage company developing oral non-peptide drugs targeting GPCRs with a strong focus on endocrine diseases (acromegaly, hyperinsulinism). Comparable on GPCR mechanism, endocrine/metabolic pipeline, and clinical-stage maturity.
- Addex Therapeutics: Swiss clinical-stage biotech focused on allosteric modulators for GPCR targets in CNS and metabolic disease. Directly comparable on GPCR-focused allosteric modulation approach and clinical-stage pipeline.
- Domain Therapeutics: French GPCR-focused biotech developing small molecules and biologics targeting CNS and immuno-oncology GPCRs. Comparable on GPCR-exclusive platform and pharma partnership model, though skewed toward CNS/immuno-oncology rather than metabolic/endocrine.
Emerging players
- Escient Pharmaceuticals: US-based clinical-stage biotech developing GPCR-targeting therapeutics for metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Comparable mechanism class and metabolic focus, but earlier-stage and narrower pipeline.
- Keros Therapeutics: US-based clinical-stage biotech focused on developing treatments for hematological and musculoskeletal disorders with metabolic/endocrine overlap. Adjacent comparison given shared therapeutic area focus rather than direct GPCR mechanism overlap.
Others
- AbCellera Biologics: Canadian antibody discovery platform company and an active collaboration partner with Confo for GPCR-targeting antibody discovery. Comparable as an enabling platform peer rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Novo Nordisk: Global pharmaceutical incumbent dominating the obesity and diabetes therapeutic markets with GLP-1 franchises (semaglutide). Sets competitive benchmarks for any GPCR-targeted metabolic entrant, including Confo's obesity pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Confo Therapeutics social profiles
Digital presenceConfo Therapeutics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Confo Therapeutics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Confo Therapeutics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Confo Therapeutics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Confo Therapeutics
What does Confo Therapeutics do?
Confo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops conformation-selective small-molecule and antibody-based therapeutics against G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for metabolic and endocrine diseases. The company applies its proprietary ConfoBody®-based drug discovery platform to identify novel agonists, antagonists, inverse agonists, and allosteric modulators of class A and B GPCRs, advancing proprietary drug candidates internally and out-licensing them to global pharmaceutical companies for late-stage clinical development and commercialization.
Is Confo Therapeutics a public or private company?
Confo Therapeutics is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Confo Therapeutics founded?
Confo Therapeutics was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Confo Therapeutics based?
Confo Therapeutics is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Confo Therapeutics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Licensing and milestone payments are the primary driver. The others are government grants.
Who are Confo Therapeutics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sosei Heptares, Septerna, Structure Therapeutics, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Addex Therapeutics and Domain Therapeutics. Emerging players are Escient Pharmaceuticals and Keros Therapeutics. AbCellera Biologics is listed as an others. Novo Nordisk is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Confo Therapeutics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Confo Therapeutics.
What industry is Confo Therapeutics in?
Confo Therapeutics's product category is GPCR-targeted Therapeutics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAD, Endocrinology & Metabolic Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAAAIAB, Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2834.