Virobay
Virobay is a privately held, virtual biotechnology company developing small-molecule cathepsin protease inhibitors for autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver fibrosis, and cancer, advancing six drug candidates through preclinical and Phase 1 stages and partnering with pharmaceutical companies for late-stage development and commercialization.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Virobay does
Virobay Inc. is a privately held, virtual biotechnology company founded in 2006 in Menlo Park, California, developing small-molecule cathepsin protease inhibitors for autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver fibrosis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. The company's pipeline comprises six drug candidates — VBY-036, VBY-129, VBY-285, and VBY-891 (cathepsin S inhibitors for pain, autoimmunity, Alzheimer's, and dermatology), VBY-376 (cathepsin B inhibitor for liver fibrosis), and VBY-825 (pan-cathepsin inhibitor for oncology) — characterized as potent, orally bioavailable, reversible inhibitors with picomolar-to-nanomolar potency and selectivity profiles designed to overcome historical cathepsin inhibitor design challenges. Virobay operates an asset-light model with a 1–10 person in-house team that coordinates globally distributed contract research and manufacturing organizations, with senior leaders drawn from Roche, Celera Genomics, Sugen, Merck, and other tier-one organizations.
The company is backed by venture investors including Alta Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, TPG Growth, Perceptive Advisors, and strategic investor AbbVie, with cumulative disclosed funding on the order of $23M–$24M across a 2006 seed, 2010 Series B ($10M), and 2014 Series B extension ($8M). Virobay is pre-revenue and monetizes exclusively through pharmaceutical partnerships: the model is to advance compounds through preclinical and Phase 1 development, then license or co-develop with larger pharma for late-stage trials and commercialization. The flagship deal is a multi-million dollar January 2012 collaboration with LEO Pharma A/S for VBY-891 in oral psoriasis treatment, which advanced to Phase 1 in 2013 alongside Virobay's wholly owned VBY-036 in neuropathic pain. With no commercialized products, the company has not disclosed revenue, and recent verifiable company-driven updates stop at 2013.
Virobay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virobay
- Legal name
- Virobay Inc.
- Website
- https://virobayinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Virobay is a privately held, virtual biotechnology company developing small-molecule cathepsin protease inhibitors for autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver fibrosis, and cancer, advancing six drug candidates through preclinical and Phase 1 stages and partnering with pharmaceutical companies for late-stage development and commercialization.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virobay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Small Molecule Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Gastroenterology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAE)
Keywords
Where Virobay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Virobay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Partnership/Licensing Revenue: Virobay develops drug candidates through clinical development and out-licenses or partners with pharmaceutical companies for later-stage development and commercialization. Revenue would come from upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties from partnership agreements such as the LEO Pharma collaboration.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Virobay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Virobay discovers and develops orally bioavailable small-molecule cysteine protease (cathepsin) inhibitors as drug candidates for autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver fibrosis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. The company advances these candidates through preclinical and early clinical stages using a virtual operating model and then partners or licenses them to pharmaceutical companies for late-stage development and commercialization.
Product overview
Virobay is a drug discovery and development company specializing in protease inhibitor design for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver diseases, and cancer. The company's product portfolio consists of six distinct drug candidates targeting cathepsin proteases: VBY-036 (cathepsin S inhibitor for neuropathic pain/Alzheimer's), VBY-129 (cathepsin S inhibitor for autoimmune diseases), VBY-285 (next-gen cathepsin S inhibitor), VBY-891 (cathepsin S inhibitor for dermatology partnered with LEO Pharma), VBY-376 (cathepsin B inhibitor for liver fibrosis), and VBY-825 (pan-cathepsin inhibitor for oncology). Compounds include both highly selective inhibitors targeting individual cathepsins and broadly acting pan-cathepsin inhibitors. The company operates a virtual model combining in-house expertise with contract research and manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VBY-036 VBY-036 is a next-generation, orally bioavailable, potent, competitive and reversible cathepsin S inhibitor with picomolar enzyme potency and nanomolar cellular potency. It is highly selective against cathepsins B, F, L, and K and is suitable for once-daily dosing in humans. It targets neuropathic pain and Alzheimer's Disease.
- VBY-129 VBY-129 is a potent, competitive, reversible inhibitor of purified cathepsin S with high selectivity against other human cathepsins. It demonstrated sustained inhibition of cathepsin S after once-daily oral dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial and targets autoimmune diseases.
- VBY-285 VBY-285 is a next-generation cathepsin S inhibitor, structurally distinct from VBY-129, VBY-891, and VBY-036. It is a potent, competitive, reversible inhibitor with picomolar potency against cathepsin S, selectively inhibits cathepsin S over B, F, L, and K, and is orally bioavailable in preclinical studies. It has shown efficacy in autoimmunity and neuropathic pain models.
- VBY-891 VBY-891 is a next-generation cathepsin S inhibitor, structurally distinct from other cathepsin S inhibitors, with picomolar enzyme potency and nanomolar cellular potency, high selectivity against cathepsins L, B, F, and K, and oral bioavailability suitable for once-daily dosing. It is being developed in partnership with LEO Pharma as an oral treatment for psoriasis (dermatology).
- VBY-376 VBY-376 is a potent, competitive, reversible inhibitor of cathepsin B with nanomolar potency, selectively inhibiting cathepsin B over F, L, V, and S. A human Phase 1 study showed exposure levels overlapping those required for antifibrotic efficacy. It targets liver fibrosis.
- VBY-825 VBY-825 is a potent, competitive, reversible pan-cathepsin protease inhibitor with picomolar or low nanomolar potency across all cathepsins implicated in cancer. It demonstrated efficacy in spontaneous tumor models with effects on primary tumor burden and tumor vasculature. It targets bone cancer/oncology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Cathepsin S inhibitor reduced atherosclerotic plaques by 68% in female mice and 36% in male mice after 8 weeks of dosing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Virobay
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Virobay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Virobay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LEO Pharma A/SflagshipVirobay Inc. and LEO Pharma initiated a collaboration in January 2012 to develop an oral treatment for psoriasis using VBY-891, a cathepsin S inhibitor. This multi-million dollar collaboration represents Virobay's primary partnership for dermatology indications. Virobay retains rights to compounds while LEO Pharma provides development and commercialization expertise for the psoriasis indication.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Virobay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Galapagos NV: Belgian biotech with a small-molecule pipeline in inflammation and immunology; comparable in therapeutic focus (autoimmune/inflammation) and chemistry modality (oral small molecules) though at a much larger scale.
- ChemoCentryx (Amgen): Small-molecule immunology company acquired by Amgen, focused on complement and chemokine pathways for autoimmune diseases; comparable as a small-molecule immunology developer targeting similar autoimmune indications.
Emerging players
- Aldeyra Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing novel small-molecule therapies for immune-mediated diseases; comparable as a small-cap small-molecule immunology developer pursuing partnerships for commercialization.
- Conatus Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biotech developing emricasan (a pan-caspase inhibitor) for liver fibrosis, conceptually similar to Virobay's small-molecule protease inhibitor approach in hepatic disease.
- Intercept Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharma historically focused on liver disease (obeticholic acid for NASH/PBC), directly comparable to Virobay's VBY-376 liver fibrosis program in therapeutic area.
- Anacor Pharmaceuticals (Pfizer): Pre-acquisition, Anacor was a boron-based small-molecule biotech with a virtual-like operating model and partnership-driven development; comparable as a small-molecule platform story ultimately validated via M&A.
- Vermillion: Small-cap clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics with a partnership-driven model; comparable in size, stage, and dependence on partners for late-stage development.
- Pharmos Corp: Small clinical-stage biotech with proprietary small-molecule therapeutics in immunology and inflammation; comparable in therapeutic focus and small-cap virtual operating profile.
Direct peers
- Vivoryon Therapeutics: Germany-based company developing small-molecule cathepsin D inhibitors (varoglutamstat) for Alzheimer's disease, overlapping Virobay's cathepsin-targeted oral small-molecule approach.
- Medivir AB: Swedish clinical-stage biotech that has historically developed cathepsin S inhibitors and protease-targeted small molecules, making it the closest mechanistic and therapeutic-area peer to Virobay's platform.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Virobay social profiles
Digital presenceVirobay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virobay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Virobay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Virobay 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 Virobay
What does Virobay do?
Virobay discovers and develops orally bioavailable small-molecule cysteine protease (cathepsin) inhibitors as drug candidates for autoimmune diseases, neuropathic pain, liver fibrosis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. The company advances these candidates through preclinical and early clinical stages using a virtual operating model and then partners or licenses them to pharmaceutical companies for late-stage development and commercialization.
Is Virobay a public or private company?
Virobay is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Virobay founded?
Virobay was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Virobay based?
Virobay is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Virobay make money?
One revenue line is on record: partnership/Licensing Revenue.
Who are Virobay's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Galapagos NV and ChemoCentryx (Amgen). Emerging players are Aldeyra Therapeutics, Conatus Pharmaceuticals, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals (Pfizer), Vermillion and Pharmos Corp. Direct peers are Vivoryon Therapeutics and Medivir AB.
Does Virobay have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virobay.
What industry is Virobay in?
Virobay's product category is Small Molecule Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAAAG, Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIACAE, Gastroenterology Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 32541 and its SIC code is 2834.