TREKKA Therapeutics

What TREKKA Therapeutics does

TREKKA Therapeutics, Inc. is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based biomaterial platform company founded in 2018 by Dr. Chun Wang, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Biomedical Engineering and the inventor of the CAPRO™ platform. The company commercializes two proprietary drug delivery technologies: CAPRO™, a patented biodegradable polymer excipient using functional blocks and chemically distinct cleavable linkers that pre-program release kinetics (zero or first-order) at the molecular level; and MORE™, a patent-pending multi-layer oral wafer for sublingual and buccal delivery. The platforms target formulation challenges — poor solubility (BCS II/IV molecules), biologic instability, short half-life, burst release, and delivery format limitations — affecting approximately 40% of marketed drugs and 90% of pipeline candidates.

The company serves pharmaceutical and biotech companies developing small molecules, biologics, peptides, proteins, vaccines, and nucleic acids, alongside consumer health companies seeking OTC format innovation. Its business model combines four B2B engagement structures: 4-12 week feasibility studies, full custom development programs, co-development partnerships, and platform licensing with per-unit royalty streams on global commercial sales. A dual commercialization strategy uses MORE™ OTC consumer health products (sleep, energy, oral pain) to generate near-term revenue without an IND requirement, while CAPRO™-enabled Rx programs advance through the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway with proprietary candidates including a melanoma cancer vaccine (SubQ LAI, pre-IND), LAI pain depot (preclinical), and intra-oral pain wafer (Rx development).

The operating footprint is small (1-10 employees) with leadership concentrated in the founder-inventor (Dr. Wang as CSO) and commercial operator (Bob Wieden as President & CEO). Scientific and clinical credibility is anchored by Dr. Vadim Gurvich (UMN medicinal chemistry) and Dr. Matthew Block, MD, PhD (Mayo Clinic oncology immunologist) on the scientific advisory board. The company has received pre-IND FDA feedback for CAPRO™, holds two issued patents on the platform, and is developing GMP-compatible manufacturing processes. No institutional investors, named customers, or revenue figures are disclosed in available materials.

Name

TREKKA Therapeutics

Legal name

Trekka Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://trekkatherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TREKKA Therapeutics is a Saint Paul, Minnesota biomaterial platform company commercializing two proprietary drug delivery technologies — CAPRO™ (patented polymer excipient) and MORE™ (patent-pending oral wafer) — to pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer health partners solving solubility, stability, and controlled-release formulation challenges.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug Delivery Technology

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMANABAK

Medical & Food-Contact Specialty Compounds

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Plastics & Rubber Manufacturing/Plastic Compounding & Masterbatch

Keywords

• Drug delivery platforms
• Biomaterial excipients
• Long-acting injectables
• Oral wafer formulation
• Pharmaceutical formulation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Platform Licensing: Partners license CAPRO™ or MORE™ platform IP for their own APIs. Trekka earns upfront licensing fees and per-unit royalties on all commercial product sales globally. Partners can run their own development and commercialization or engage Trekka for technical support.
2. Co-Development Partnerships: Trekka and partners jointly develop reformulated products, sharing costs, timelines, and commercial rights. Trekka contributes platform IP, GMP manufacturing development, and regulatory strategy. Revenue comes from development milestones and shared commercial outcomes.
3. MORE™ OTC Consumer Health: Near-term OTC revenue from MORE™ oral wafer platform targeting sleep aids, energy supplements, and oral pain products. OTC path requires no IND, enabling faster time to market and early revenue generation that funds CAPRO™ Rx programs.
4. Feasibility Study Services: Targeted formulation feasibility studies demonstrating CAPRO™ or MORE™ performance on specific partner APIs. 4-12 week timelines with data packages partners own for internal review and regulatory planning.
5. Custom Development Programs: Full formulation development through pre-clinical studies, including GMP-compatible manufacturing for clinical batches. Partners engage Trekka as a core development partner for formulation science and 505(b)(2) regulatory strategy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Trekka Therapeutics commercializes two proprietary biomaterial drug delivery platforms — CAPRO™ (patented biodegradable polymer excipient with cleavable linkers) and MORE™ (patent-pending multi-layer oral wafer) — for pharmaceutical and consumer health partners. The company licenses platform IP, runs feasibility and custom formulation development programs, and pursues co-development partnerships to solve solubility, stability, release, and bioavailability challenges for small molecules, biologics, peptides, proteins, vaccines, and nucleic acids.

Product overview

TREKKA Therapeutics is a biomaterial platform company commercializing two proprietary drug delivery platforms — CAPRO™ (patented injectable depot excipient) and MORE™ (patent-pending oral wafer) — for pharma and consumer health partners. CAPRO™ uses cleavable linker polymer chemistry to solve formulation challenges including poor solubility (BCS II/IV), biologic instability, uncontrolled release, and drug loading limitations across small molecules, biologics, vaccines, and combination products. MORE™ provides water-free oral transmucosal delivery via a tunable multi-layer wafer architecture. These platforms are offered independently or combined, with CAPRO™ enhancing MORE™ wafers for poorly soluble APIs. The company also develops proprietary LAI (long-acting injectable) programs using the CAPRO™ platform for subcutaneous, intramuscular, intra-articular, and biodegradable implant formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAPRO™: Patented biodegradable polymer excipient platform with cleavable linkers for pre-programmed release kinetics. Used for injectable depots, oral, and topical applications. Handles solubility enhancement, biologic stabilization, controlled release, and long-acting injectables.
• MORE™

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero burst release vs. 20-25% day-1 burst with PLGA
• +6 more outcomes

Segments3 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of Minnesota - Department of Biomedical EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Chun Wang, Associate Professor in the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering at University of Minnesota, is the inventor of CAPRO™. His research produced the distinctive functional block and cleavable linker architecture that eliminates PLGA limitations. Dr. Wang leads all scientific and technical development at Trekka.
• Mayo Clinic - Department of OncologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Matthew Block, MD, PhD, leading oncology immunologist at Mayo Clinic, serves as clinical lead on Trekka's melanoma cancer vaccine program. His research spans cancer immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment biology, and immune checkpoint modulation, guiding the clinical design of CAPRO™ SubQ LAI vaccine delivery program.
• University of Minnesota - Dept. of Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Process Development (ITDD)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Vadim Gurvich, PhD, MBA brings deep expertise in medicinal chemistry, chemical process development, and drug candidate optimization to Trekka's scientific advisory board. Guides CAPRO™ compatibility evaluation with novel API classes and advises on formulation chemistry decisions for partner molecules.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IntelGenx Technologies: Canadian specialty pharma developing oral thin film and VersaFilm® oral drug delivery platforms for sublingual/buccal administration. Direct comparable to Trekka's MORE™ oral wafer in addressing patient non-adherence through format innovation, with similar business model of platform licensing and 505(b)(2) Rx reformulation.
• ZIM Laboratories: India-based specialty drug delivery company commercializing thin film oral and fast-dissolving drug delivery technologies for OTC and Rx markets. Direct comparable to Trekka's MORE™ wafer in format-modality, market segments (OTC + Rx), and partnership-driven commercialization model.
• Camurus: Sweden-based specialty pharma commercializing the FluidCrystal® injectable depot platform for long-acting injectables (opioid dependence, oncology, endocrine). Most direct comparable company to Trekka's CAPRO™ LAI ambitions — both are LAI platform companies targeting 505(b)(2) reformulation of approved APIs with proprietary biomaterial depots and royalty-driven business models.
• Serina Therapeutics: Clinical-stage company developing POZ (polyoxazoline) polymer-based drug delivery for CNS, oncology, and pain indications. Highly comparable as a small-cap proprietary polymer platform pursuing lifecycle extension and reformulation opportunities analogous to Trekka's CAPRO™ strategy.
• Innocore Pharmaceuticals: Netherlands-based biomaterials company developing biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems (sustained release injectables and implants) for pharma partners. Comparable to CAPRO™ as a polymer depot platform serving LAI and implant applications, though broader in formulation technologies.

Broad incumbents

• Corbion (TotalEnergies Corbion JV): Global biobased polymers incumbent producing PURAC® lactide-based polymers for medical applications including LAI depots. Comparable to Trekka's CAPRO™ as a specialty medical-grade polymer supplier serving pharma drug delivery, though operating at much larger scale and broader polymer portfolio.
• Evonik (Health Care segment): Global specialty chemicals incumbent operating a pharma polymer business (RESOMER® PLGA-based excipients) for parenteral sustained-release and LAI applications. Direct comparator as a polymer excipient supplier to pharma formulation teams, but with a vastly broader portfolio of polymers and decades-long pharma customer relationships that Trekka must compete against.
• BioDelivery Sciences International (Collegium Pharmaceutical): Specialty pharma commercializing BEMA® (BioErodible MucoAdhesive) film technology for transmucosal delivery of pain and CNS drugs. Relevant comparable for Trekka's MORE™ wafer targeting oral pain and CNS indications through proprietary transmucosal platforms.

Emerging players

• Arbutus Biopharma: Clinical-stage biopharma developing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) and conjugate-based delivery platforms for hepatitis B and other indications. Comparable as an emerging drug delivery platform company using novel chemistry approaches (LNPs) to address biologic delivery challenges — similar to Trekka's biologic stabilization with CAPRO™.
• CURE Pharmaceutical (CUREform): Early-stage company developing oral thin film and multi-layer wafer technologies for transmucosal drug delivery. Most analogous emerging player to Trekka's MORE™ wafer platform, operating at a similar scale with similar format innovation focus on sublingual and buccal delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/75101919

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about TREKKA Therapeutics