C3 Jian, which develops proprietary drugs with an initial focus on improving oral healthcare, has raised $60.5 million in Series D financing.
The Los Angeles-based company said the money will be used to support continued clinical development of the company's lead product, referred to as C16G2, a proprietary peptide-based antimicrobial drug specifically targeting Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium responsible for dental caries.
Under an FDA Investigational New Drug Application, the company recently began a phase II clinical trial to study C16G2 formulated as a mouth rinse and a gel for both dental tray and tooth brush applications.
Proceeds will also help advance development of a second peptide drug candidate that has both teeth remineralization and hair/nail growth properties.
In addition, the company plans to build a pipeline of additional compounds using its proprietary STAMP (specifically targeted antimicrobial peptide) technology platform. STAMPs have the potential to alter human microbiomes by targeting and eliminating a specific bacterium versus broad spectrum antibiotics. The company expects to explore development of STAMPs for medical uses in addition to oral healthcare.
Current shareholders and new investors participated in this round of financing, which was led by Renaissance Holding Company, a national dental insurance holding company. New shareholders include Delta Dental-affiliated dental benefits administrators covering most of the U.S.
