Celea Therapeutics has secured $180m in financing to support the planned pivotal Phase III SURPASS-IPF clinical trial of deupirfenidone (LYT-100).
Deupirfenidone is an investigational next-generation antifibrotic and has the potential to serve as a new standard of care for individuals with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
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Investors in this financing round include RA Capital Management, PureTech Health, Leaps by Bayer, a major US healthcare fund, and a sovereign wealth fund.
The randomised, planned global, double-blind, head-to-head Phase III trial is expected to begin in early Q3 2026.
It will compare deupirfenidone 825mg three times a day (TID) to pirfenidone 801mg TID in adults with IPF who are not on background therapy.
The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in absolute forced vital capacity at week 52, as a measure of lung function.
Celea Therapeutics CEO Sven Dethlefs said: “People living with IPF continue to face a devastating disease with limited treatment options, and we believe deupirfenidone has the potential to deliver meaningful improvements for patients.
“We are grateful for the support and confidence of this exceptional group of investors, whose commitment enables us to initiate the Phase III SURPASS-IPF trial and advance development of deupirfenidone with the speed and focus this community deserves.”
Deupirfenidone, a deuterated form of pirfenidone, is under development for IPF and has received orphan drug designation from both the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Data from the global Phase IIb ELEVATE IPF trial indicated that deupirfenidone may stabilise lung function decline over at least 26 weeks as a monotherapy, with initial open-label extension data suggesting sustained effects through at least 52 weeks.
According to the company, deupirfenidone could offer a treatment option for other fibrotic conditions, including progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.
IPF is described as a rare, progressive and fatal condition characterised by irreversible scarring of the lungs and a steady decline in lung function.
In September 2025, Celea Therapeutics engaged with regulators regarding the potential launch of a Phase III trial of its IPF treatment, deupirfenidone, following positive outcomes from a Phase IIb open-label extension (OLE) study.
