Brano Therapeutics secured $6.8m seed funding to advance heart failure pipeline

Brano Therapeutics raised $6.8 million in seed financing to support the development of new therapies targeting heart failure, including Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), an area where treatment options remain limited.

The Singapore-based biotech, a spin-out from Duke-NUS Medical School, said the funding round was led by Trinity Innovation Bioventure Singapore and SEEDS, with additional backing from SGInnovate and Duke-NUS’ LIVE Ventures programme.

Brano’s research focuses on metabolic dysfunction linked to HFpEF, a condition affecting a growing number of patients globally as rates of ageing, diabetes and hypertension continue to rise. Researchers involved in the programme identified abnormalities in nutrient processing associated with poorer heart failure outcomes and cardiac dysfunction.

Preclinical studies suggested that restoring metabolic regulation improved heart function and reduced heart stiffness, supporting further development of the company’s lead therapeutic approach.

The company said the funding would be used to accelerate development of novel compounds targeting metabolic pathways in heart failure patients, with plans to move the programme into clinical trials by 2029.

The investment also highlighted continued investor interest in cardiovascular biotech companies developing therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical need, particularly in heart failure, where treatment innovation has remained relatively limited compared with other major therapeutic areas.