University of Michigan spinoff company Courage Therapeutics is based in Massachusetts and develops medicines targeting obesity and restrictive eating disorders.
It was founded in 2019 by Roger Cone, a U-M professor of molecular and integrative physiology, and Dan Housman, a serial entrepreneur who has founded and led multiple companies in the health care technology space.
Unlike traditional weight-loss drugs that mimic gut hormones, Courage Therapeutics’ approach involves direct action on melanocortin circuits within the hypothalamus, a system known to influence feeding behaviors and weight management.
The strategy not only targets dietary obesity and genetic obesity syndromes for which GLP-1 drugs are not label-approved, but also may enhance the effects of existing GLP-1 drugs for treating dietary obesity.
“With this approach, we have been able to rapidly develop compounds that are even more potent and selective than current market offerings, in terms of their ability to inhibit food intake in mammals,” says Cone.
The company recently received a seed investment of up to $7.8 million from Arsenal Bridge Ventures. The investment is expected to enable Courage Therapeutics to complete essential testing and development to advance its drug candidates to clinical trials.
The company’s two drug-development programs aim to address obesity and restrictive eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and cachexia.
With support from U-M’s Innovation Partnerships, Cone Housman were able to translate Cone’s research into viable treatments. Working with medicinal chemist Tomi Sawyer, the team has developed promising drug candidates for genetic obesity syndromes.
- Name: Courage Therapeutics
- Address: 64 Homer St., Newton Center, Mass.
- Email: info@couragetx.com
- Website: couragetx.com
- Phone Number: NA
- Category: Health Care
- Founded: 2019
- Founders: Roger Cone and Dan Housman
- Number of Employees: 4
- Most Recent Annual Revenue: NA
- Video Link: NA
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