Kailera Therapeutics launches with $400 million Series A and exclusive license to ribupatide from Jiangsu Hengrui

Kailera Therapeutics/Ribupatide (KAI-9531)

Ron Renaud founded Kailera Therapeutics and secured $400 million in Series A funding co-led by Atlas Venture, Bain Capital Life Sciences, and RTW Investments. The company exclusively licensed ribupatide (KAI-9531), a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist, from Jiangsu Hengrui and is advancing it into Phase 3 trials for obesity.

• Kailera was founded in October 2024 to develop therapies from Jiangsu Hengrui's obesity drug discovery.
• Series A co-led by Atlas Venture, Bain Capital Life Sciences, and RTW Investments; Lyra Capital also participated.
• Ribupatide showed promising Phase 2 signals and was positioned for global Phase 3 trials.