SunRegen

What SunRegen does

SunRegen Healthcare AG is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in February 2017 and headquartered in Reinach (Basel area), Switzerland, with a secondary office at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center in Doylestown, USA. The company is developing SBC003, a first-in-class orally bioavailable small-molecule compound that induces neuroglobin expression through p-body modulation, activating an endogenous neuroprotective pathway that protects and rescues neurons regardless of the upstream disease trigger. The compound is administered as a daily oral pill and crosses both the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers, differentiating it from approved and investigational competitors that rely on intravitreal injections or gene therapy delivery.

SBC003 is being advanced across four indications: Retinitis Pigmentosa (lead, IND-enabling stage), Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Optic Atrophy, and CNS neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, stroke — discovery stage). The mutation-agnostic mechanism targets the universal downstream apoptotic pathway, allowing the same compound to address 100% of RP patients versus less than 1% eligible for gene therapies like Luxturna. Validated preclinical outcomes include significant retinal nerve fiber layer thickness increases in non-human primates (p<0.05 to p<0.005), preservation of outer nuclear layer in murine models (p<0.001), and statistically significant photoreceptor preservation across peripheral, mid-peripheral, and central retinal regions.

The company is pre-revenue and operates a sales-led, institutional-funding go-to-market model targeting venture capital syndicates and strategic pharmaceutical partners. Capital deployed to date totals approximately $6.3 million across preclinical development, CMC, and GLP toxicology studies, sourced from seed investors, an EU Horizon 2020 SME Instrument grant, a CHF 1 million Innosuisse grant, and a Pre-A private placement. SunRegen is currently raising a $35M+ Series A to fund Phase I/II trials in Retinitis Pigmentosa under the orphan drug pathway. Compositional IP is protected by a patent family granted in 8 jurisdictions.

Name

SunRegen

Legal name

SunRegen Healthcare AG

Website

https://sunregen.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SunRegen Healthcare AG is a clinical-stage Swiss biopharmaceutical company developing SBC003, a first-in-class oral small-molecule neuroprotective therapy that halts and reverses neuronal loss via the neuroglobin pathway, targeting Retinitis Pigmentosa, Dry AMD, Optic Atrophy, and CNS neurodegeneration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Pre-revenue clinical-stage company. Revenue expected from future pharmaceutical product sales of SBC003 upon regulatory approval. Single compound with multiple indications (Retinitis Pigmentosa, Dry AMD, Optic Atrophy, CNS Neurodegeneration) provides potential for multiple revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SunRegen Healthcare AG is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing SBC003, a first-in-class orally bioavailable small-molecule compound that induces neuroglobin expression via p-body modulation to halt and reverse neuronal loss. SBC003 targets the universal downstream apoptotic pathway across multiple indications: Retinitis Pigmentosa (lead), Dry AMD, Optic Atrophy, and CNS neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS).

Product overview

SunRegen is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a single platform molecule, SBC003, as a first-in-class oral neuroprotective therapeutic. SBC003 is advancing across four indications: Retinitis Pigmentosa (lead, IND-enabling stage), Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Optic Atrophy, and CNS Neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS). The compound acts through neuroglobin pathway activation via p-body modulation, providing neuro-rescuing, neuroprotective (five-protein shield), and neurotrophic effects in a single daily oral pill. No intravitreal injections or gene therapies required.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBC003 SBC003 is a first-in-class orally bioavailable small-molecule compound that induces neuroglobin expression via p-body modulation to halt and reverse neuronal loss. Delivered as a daily oral pill, it targets the universal downstream apoptotic pathway regardless of upstream genetic mutation, making it mutation-agnostic across all genetic subtypes of Retinitis Pigmentosa and applicable to other neurodegeneration indications including Dry AMD, Optic Atrophy, and CNS diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, Stroke). Currently advancing through IND-enabling stage for Retinitis Pigmentosa as the lead indication.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant RNFL thickness increase in rhesus monkeys with spontaneous optic atrophy (p<0.05 and p<0.005)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johnson & Johnson (JLABS Shanghai)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023SunRegen was awarded a residency at JLABS Shanghai in September 2023 — the third recognition by Johnson & Johnson. JLABS employs strict global standards to select innovative biopharma projects. Enrollment provided access to J&J's global network, manufacturing expertise, and regulatory guidance in preparation for clinical development.
• University of Zurich (UZH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Innosuisse grant facilitated collaborative research with EPFL and University of Zurich (UZH) supporting critical mechanistic studies of SBC003's neuroprotective pathways.
• EPFL Brain Mind InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CTI Innovation Grant supported collaboration with the Brain Mind Institute (BMI) in École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The collaboration greatly expanded SunRegen's research capability and genomic screening capacity for SBC003 development.
• BaseLaunch AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017SunRegen SBC003 project was accepted as a phase I project by BaseLaunch, a healthcare accelerator backed by Novartis, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Roche. Selection by this elite cohort of global pharmaceutical leaders provided immediate validation of SBC003's therapeutic potential and commercial viability.
• Queen's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Part of SunRegen's network spanning EPFL, Harvard, Queen's University, and J&J JLABS for collaborative research relationships.
• Schepens Eye Research Institute / Harvard Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Dr. Kin-Sang (Anson) Cho serves on SunRegen's Scientific Advisory Board as Principal Scientist at Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear and Instructor in Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Leading expert in mechanisms of retinal degeneration and regeneration.

Scale indicators12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Spark Therapeutics: Developer of Luxturna, the only FDA-approved gene therapy for inherited retinal dystrophy (RPE65-mutation RP). Spark is the most direct peer because it targets the same indication (RP) with a mutation-specific approach, illustrating the gap SBC003's mutation-agnostic mechanism aims to fill.
• Apellis Pharmaceuticals: Developer of Syfovre, an FDA-approved intravitreal injection for geographic atrophy secondary to Dry AMD. Apellis is a direct competitor for SBC003's Dry AMD indication, although SunRegen's oral pill offers a differentiated administration route.
• Astellas Pharma (Iveric Bio): Acquired Iveric Bio to commercialize Izervay, another FDA-approved intravitreal injection for geographic atrophy. Astellas/Iveric is a direct competitor for SBC003's Dry AMD expansion indication and represents the commercial benchmark for AMD therapies.
• ProQR Therapeutics: RNA-editing company developing antisense oligonucleotide therapies for inherited retinal diseases including RP. ProQR is a direct peer in RP targeting different genetic subtypes with a different modality (RNA editing vs SBC003's neuroprotective small molecule).

Emerging players

• Nanoscope Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene therapy company developing optogenetic therapies for RP and Dry AMD. Nanoscope is an emerging player with partial overlap to SBC003's indications but uses a fundamentally different mechanism (gene therapy vs neuroprotection).
• GenSight Biologics: Clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on retinal and optic nerve disorders, including LHON (Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy). GenSight is an emerging peer in optic neuropathy, a segment of SBC003's optic atrophy indication.
• MeiraGTx: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with multiple ocular programs including RP and other inherited retinal diseases. MeiraGTx is an emerging player with overlapping retinal disease focus but a gene therapy modality versus SBC003's small molecule.
• REGENXBIO: Clinical-stage gene therapy company developing AAV-based therapies for retinal diseases including wet AMD and inherited retinal dystrophies. REGENXBIO is an emerging peer in retinal drug development with a different modality.

Broad incumbents

• Ionis Pharmaceuticals: Established antisense oligonucleotide platform company with CNS and ophthalmology programs targeting neurodegenerative diseases including ALS, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's. Ionis is a broad incumbent in CNS/eye neurodegeneration, relevant as a comparator for SBC003's CNS expansion.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical: Established rare-disease biopharmaceutical company with CNS and ophthalmology programs and a track record of orphan drug commercialization. BioMarin is a broad incumbent comparator for SunRegen's orphan-first RP strategy and clinical/commercial scale-up path.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunregen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 SunRegen