Vivoryon Therapeutics

What Vivoryon Therapeutics does

Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing orally available small-molecule inhibitors of glutaminyl cyclases (QPCT and QPCTL) to block pyroglutamate formation on disease-relevant proteins, thereby addressing inflammatory and fibrotic processes. Its lead asset, varoglutamstat (PQ912), is a first-in-class, nanomolar QPCT/L inhibitor that demonstrated statistically significant improvement in kidney function (eGFR) versus placebo in two independent Phase 2 studies (VIVIAD and VIVA-MIND), with particularly pronounced effects in patients with diabetes; the program is positioned for a Phase 2b study in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a strategic pivot the company executed in April 2024 away from its earlier Alzheimer's focus. A next-generation candidate, VY2149, was nominated in 2025 to act as a potential fast follower in DKD or to be explored in orphan and broader chronic kidney disease indications. The company is pre-revenue, listed on Euronext Amsterdam (ticker VVY), headquartered in Halle (Saale), Germany with an additional office in Munich, and operates with 101–250 employees.

The business model is a partnership-driven biotech model with no current product revenue and a stated future revenue orientation toward licensing and royalties. Commercialization, if approved, would be executed through standard pharmaceutical distribution channels (specialty pharmacies, hospital networks) via a partner, and the company is actively engaged in due-diligence discussions under CDA with multiple potential biopharma partners to fund the Phase 2b program. Customer-facing activity is limited to investor relations, scientific conferences (ASN Kidney Week, ERA, WCN, Kempen), and KOL engagement; end customers are not yet defined because no product is commercialized.

Financially, Vivoryon is loss-making and reliant on capital markets: FY2025 net loss was EUR 8.9 million and Q1 2026 net loss was EUR 1.8 million, with cash and cash equivalents of EUR 5.6 million as of December 31, 2025 and runway guidance into Q4 2026. Capital has been raised through repeated private placements (EUR 21M in April 2022, EUR 15M from KKR's Dawn Biopharma platform in September 2022, EUR 5.1M in October 2025) and a EUR 15M SEPA financing facility with Yorkville Advisors signed in April 2025. US Patent 12,312,335 covers the active polymorph of varoglutamstat with exclusivity through 2044, potentially extendable to 2049, providing a long runway for value capture if the clinical asset succeeds.

Name

Vivoryon Therapeutics

Legal name

Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.

Website

https://vivoryon.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vivoryon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage, pre-revenue biotechnology company developing first-in-class oral QPCT/L small-molecule inhibitors, with lead candidate varoglutamstat in Phase 2 development for diabetic kidney disease and partnership-licensed commercialization targeted at nephrology patient populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-viral Gene Delivery & Gene Therapy (LNP, polymers, electroporation, physical methods) (HLAAACAC)

Keywords

• Small molecule therapeutics
• Kidney disease drugs
• Clinical-stage biotechnology
• Inflammatory fibrosis treatment
• QPCT enzyme inhibitors

Headquarters

HQ city

Halle An Der Saale

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. No current revenue: Pre-revenue clinical stage biotechnology company with no commercialized products. The company generates no revenues and has reported net losses. Future revenue will depend on successful development and commercialization of varoglutamstat and other pipeline candidates.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vivoryon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing orally available small molecule inhibitors of glutaminyl cyclases (QPCT and QPCTL) that block pyroglutamate formation on disease-relevant proteins to prevent inflammatory and fibrotic processes. Its lead candidate varoglutamstat (PQ912), a first-in-class QPCT/L inhibitor, is being advanced through Phase 2 development for diabetic kidney disease, with a next-generation candidate (VY2149) in pre-clinical stage.

Product overview

Vivoryon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of orally available small molecule inhibitors targeting glutaminyl cyclases (QPCT and QPCTL) for severe diseases. The company's lead product is varoglutamstat (PQ912), a first-in-class oral QPCT/L inhibitor currently in Phase 2 development for diabetic kidney disease. The portfolio also includes VY2149, a next-generation QPCT/L inhibitor in pre-clinical development, as well as early-stage programs in meprin inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Varoglutamstat (PQ912)

Quantifiable outcome

• eGFR improvement of 3.4 mL/min/1.73m2/year (p<0.001) in overall VIVIAD study population
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

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

One partnership is on record.

• University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Professor Tobias B. Huber focusing on pre-clinical and mechanistic activities relating to varoglutamstat and the role of QPCT/L on kidney function. Professor Huber serves as Medical Advisor for clinical study design.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AstraZeneca: Commercializes Farxiga (dapagliflozin), the SGLT-2 inhibitor approved across a broad CKD label including diabetic and non-diabetic kidney disease. AZ is the dominant SGLT-2 incumbent whose established guideline-backed therapy sets the comparator bar for any novel DKD entrant like Vivoryon's varoglutamstat.
• Bayer: Global pharmaceutical major commercializing Kerendia (finerenone), a non-steroidal MRA approved for CKD associated with type 2 diabetes. Bayer is the leading broad-incumbent competitor defining current standard-of-care in DKD, the indication Vivoryon is repositioning varoglutamstat into.
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Commercializes Jynarque (tolvaptan), the only FDA-approved therapy for slowing kidney function decline in ADPKD. As an established broad-incumbent in rare and progressive kidney disease, Otsuka is a relevant comparable for varoglutamstat's eventual commercial positioning in DKD.
• Boehringer Ingelheim / Eli Lilly: Co-commercialize Jardiance (empagliflozin), another SGLT-2 inhibitor widely used in DKD and across cardio-renal-metabolic indications. As major incumbent players in kidney-protective therapy, they represent both potential combination partners and the entrenched competitors Vivoryon must differentiate against.

Direct peers

• Chinook Therapeutics (acquired by Novartis): Acquired by Novartis in 2023 for ~$3.5B, Chinook developed atrasentan (an endothelin receptor antagonist) for IgA nephropathy and other proteinuric kidney diseases. It is a direct precedent for a clinical-stage small-molecule company advancing a kidney-protective asset to a strategic acquisition — the exact exit template relevant for Vivoryon.
• Reata Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Biogen): Reata developed bardoxolone methyl, an oral Nrf2 activator for CKD, and was acquired by Biogen in 2023 for ~$7B. Like Vivoryon, it was a clinical-stage small-molecule company advancing a single asset in chronic kidney disease, providing a directly comparable exit transaction.

Emerging players

• Travere Therapeutics: Clinical-stage rare disease company that received accelerated approval of Filspari (sparsentan) for IgA nephropathy and is developing therapies across rare kidney diseases. Travere is an emerging-player peer in the specialty kidney-disease space, with comparable scale, public-company profile and focus on inflammatory/fibrotic renal indications.
• ProKidney: Clinical-stage cell therapy company developing rilparencel, an autologous renal cell therapy for CKD. ProKidney is an emerging-player peer pursuing disease-modifying approaches to CKD and diabetic kidney disease, addressing the same unmet need Vivoryon targets but via a different modality.
• Vera Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing atacicept for IgA nephropathy and ORIGIN-3 pivotal data in autoimmune kidney disease. Vera is an emerging-player peer of comparable size and stage, also targeting inflammatory/autoimmune mechanisms in rare and chronic kidney disease.
• Maze Therapeutics: Clinical-stage precision medicine company developing APOL1 inhibitors and other genetic-medicine approaches for kidney disease including APOL1-mediated kidney disease and other CKD subtypes. Maze is an emerging-player peer of similar size, stage, and focus on kidney-targeted therapies addressing underserved forms of progressive CKD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vivoryonnv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/probiodrug

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors12 records

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Vivoryon Therapeutics