false 0001984086 0001984086 2025-03-03 2025-03-03

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 3, 2025

 

 

SEPTERNA, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-42382   84-3891440

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

Septerna, Inc.  
250 East Grand Avenue  
South San Francisco, CA   94080
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (650) 338-3533

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share   SEPN   The Nasdaq Global Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

 

 

 


Item 7.01.

Regulation FD Disclosure.

Septerna, Inc. (the “Company”) will be conducting meetings with participants attending the TD Cowen 45th Annual Health Care Conference during the week of March 3, 2025. A copy of the presentation is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The information furnished under this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

99.1    Corporate Presentation of Septerna, Inc., dated March 2025, furnished herewith.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

      Septerna, Inc.
Date: March 3, 2025     By:  

/s/ Jeffrey Finer, M.D., Ph.D.

     

Jeffrey Finer, M.D., Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Slide 1

Nasdaq: SEPN Pioneering a New Era of GPCR Drug Discovery March 2025 TD Cowen 45th Annual Health Care Conference Exhibit 99.1


Slide 2

Forward-Looking Statements This presentation contains express or implied forward‐looking statements of Septerna, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” or “our”) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this presentation, including statements regarding our business strategy, plans, estimated milestones and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the continued development and advancement of our oral small molecule GPCR-targeted programs; the initiation, timing, progress, and results of conducting our research and development programs (including our investigation into the underlying mechanism of the elevated unconjugated bilirubin observed for SEP-786) and our current and future preclinical studies and anticipated clinical trials (including the selection and advancement of our next-generation oral PTH1R agonist product candidate and projected initiation of the SEP-631 clinical trial), and the release of data related thereto; our ability to demonstrate, and the timing of, preclinical proof-of-concept in vivo and ex vivo for multiple programs; the potential of our proprietary Native Complex Platform™; the accuracy of our estimates regarding expenses and capital requirements, including our expected cash runway; the size and growth potential of the markets for our current and future product candidates and our ability to serve those markets; and our expectations regarding the implementation of our business model, and strategic plans for our business, product candidates, and technology. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company and are subject to known and unknown risks and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include those risks and uncertainties set forth in the section titled "Risk Factors" in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and in our subsequent filings with the SEC. Certain information in this presentation (including market data and statistical information) and statements made orally during this presentation are the good faith estimates of management and have been obtained from various sources (including third-party sources such as independent industry publications, governmental publications, and reports by market research firms), and we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of such forward-looking statements, and there can be no assurance as to the reliability or correctness of such projections and actual results may vary materially from those projected. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.


Slide 3

Septerna: Pioneering a New Era of GPCR Drug Discovery with Oral Small Molecules Native Complex Platform™ designed to unlock the full potential of GPCR therapies Iterative structure-based drug design to rapidly optimize and validate programs in animal models Portfolio strategy to drive value creation Validated targets + early clinical readouts + multi-billion $ market opportunities Well-capitalized with planned operating runway into at least 2H 2027 GPCR = G protein-coupled receptor; Discovery Stage TSHR NAM: Potential first disease-modifying treatment for Graves’ disease and TED Incretin Receptor Agonists: Opportunities for single- and multi-incretin receptor agonists for metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity and T2D) Lead Programs PTH1R Agonists: Potential first-in-class oral small molecule for hypoparathyroidism; plan to select a next-generation candidate to accelerate toward clinical development later this year SEP-631 MRGPRX2 NAM: Pipeline-in-a-product opportunity for mast cell diseases (e.g., CSU); Phase 1 initiation expected in 2025 NAM = negative allosteric modulator; TED = thyroid eye disease; CSU = chronic spontaneous urticaria; T2D = Type 2 diabetes


Slide 4

GPCR Drug Discovery Success Has Been Highly Concentrated to a Small Fraction of GPCRs Historically productive target class, yet substantial untapped opportunity to expand the number of druggable GPCRs >70% of GPCR drugs target 6 small subfamilies of GPCRs ~1/3 of all FDA-approved drugs (~500 approved products) target GPCRs ~75% of potential GPCR targets remain undrugged Our focus: Unlocking difficult-to-drug GPCRs with our Native Complex Platform™


Slide 5

Proprietary Native Complex Platform™ Today’s GPCR Drug Discovery Challenge Several new small molecule drug discovery technologies have largely been inaccessible to GPCRs Inability to isolate fully functional GPCR proteins significantly limits use of modern discovery tools G protein Lipid Bilayer Ligand GPCR Native Complex Platform™: Industrialized Workflows to Unlock Difficult-to-Drug GPCRs Native Complexes Retain GPCR natural structure, function, and dynamics High-Resolution GPCR Structures Technologies to Screen Billions of Compounds Discovery of new leads with relevant modes of action Novel binding pockets and new insights into GPCR modulation Structure-Based Drug Design & Optimization <1 year from initiation of med chem to activity in animal models for each program to date


Slide 6

Native Complex Platform™ is a Highly Efficient Platform for GPCR Structure-based Drug Design New Small Molecule Ligand New Ligand-Bound GPCR Structure ~1-2 weeks Native Complex Cryo-EM Structure-Based Design Rapid Iterative Cycle Apo (no ligand) Agonist Positive Allosteric Modulator Antagonist Negative Allosteric Modulator GPCR A 4 8 12 16 20 B C D E F G # Structures 24 Native Complex High-Resolution GPCR Structures cryo-EM = cryogenic electron microscopy GPCR cryo-EM now achieving resolutions relevant for structure-based drug design Native Complex cryo-EM enables rapid and iterative lead optimization Applies to a broad range of lead candidate modes of action (e.g., agonists, antagonists, allosteric modulators)


Slide 7

Advancing a Deep Portfolio of Oral Small Molecule GPCR-Targeted Programs Programs Development Status a Program / Target Mode of Action Therapeutic Area Indications / US Patient Population Discovery IND-enabling Phase 1 PTH1R Agonist Endocrinology Hypoparathyroidism: ~70k SEP-631 (MRGPRX2) Negative Allosteric Modulator Immunology and Inflammation CSU: ~1.5mm Other mast cell diseases TSHR Negative Allosteric Modulator Endocrinology Graves’ disease: ~2mm Thyroid eye disease: ~1mm GLP-1R, GIPR, GCGR Single- and Multi-Agonists Metabolic Diseases Obesity and T2D: ~800mm (worldwide) Other metabolic diseases Other Therapeutic Areas of Interest / Focus: Neurology, Women’s Health, Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory Disease Note: Vertex acquired an undisclosed discovery-stage program in 2023 for $47.5M upfront


Slide 8

PTH1R Agonist Program Oral Small Molecule Targeting PTH1R for Hypoparathyroidism


Slide 9

Hypoparathyroidism: Significant Unmet Need for an Oral PTH Replacement Hypoparathyroidism: Low PTH leads to low blood calcium ~70K patients in US; ~140K patients in EU Challenging patient symptoms Muscle cramps, tingling, brain fog Life-threatening complications: cardiac arrhythmias, seizures Inadequate standard-of-care Calcium supplements (high doses several times per day) and Vitamin D do not fully resolve symptoms, and lead to complications including calcifications and renal impairment Injectable PTH therapies approved and in development Will require life-long injections Our Strategy: Functionally replace PTH with oral small molecule PTH1R agonist to normalize serum calcium PTH = Parathyroid Hormone PTH: Master Regulator of Blood Calcium


Slide 10

Discontinuation of SEP-786 Development to Focus on Advancing Next-Generation Oral Small Molecule PTH1R Agonist Decision to discontinue SEP-786 Phase 1 SAD/MAD trial in healthy volunteers No Serious Adverse Events across all participants 2 unanticipated severe (Grade 3) events of elevated unconjugated bilirubin levels in MAD; believed to be SEP-786 off-target effect Both events were reversible and without liver injury (normal AST, ALT, GGT), cholestasis, or hemolysis No predicted risk of elevated bilirubin from all preclinical studies including 28-day GLP toxicology studies in rats and dogs Non-clinical studies underway to investigate underlying mechanism of observed effects Early signals of on-target pharmacology seen for SEP-786 prior to trial discontinuation Observed initial increases in serum calcium and decreases in endogenous PTH (as anticipated for healthy subjects) Favorable human PK profile consistent with preclinical predictions to support QD or BID dosing Well-positioned to quickly pivot to next-generation oral PTH1R agonist Native Complex discovery efforts identified multiple chemically diverse PTH1R agonists Multiple candidate-quality leads with chemical structures unrelated to SEP-786, activity in animal models, and excellent pharmaceutical properties


Slide 11

Native Complex Platform™ Identified Broad Portfolio of Chemically Distinct PTH1R Agonists Structurally unrelated to SEP-786 Potent, selective, oral small molecule Normalizes serum calcium in preclinical animal models PK/PD projects full-day calcium control in hypoparathyroidism patients with QD or BID dosing Safe and well tolerated in preclinical toxicology studies PTH1R Next-Gen PTH1R Agonist Target Candidate Features Multiple PTH1R agonists with distinct binding sites Native Complex Hit Identification Optimization of Multiple Next-Generation Compounds Multiple PTH1R agonist series optimized in parallel Native Complex Structure-Based Design Rapid Iterative Structure-Based Drug Discovery <1 year from initiation of medicinal chemistry to activity in an animal model QD = once-daily dosing BID = twice-daily dosing PK = pharmacokinetics PD = pharmacodynamics Multiple leads optimized toward development candidate selection


Slide 12

Potent, Selective Next-Generation PTH1R Agonists Normalize Serum Calcium and Phosphate in Hypoparathyroidism Animal Model Surgery to remove parathyroid glands Rat Decreased serum calcium (hypocalcemia) Oral small molecule PTH1R agonist Normalize serum calcium Rat surgical model of hypoparathyroidism PO = oral dosing QD = once daily dosing BID = twice daily dosing Example Next-Generation PTH1R Agonist: 28-day Dosing Sustained Normalization of Serum Ca2+ Levels Sustained Normalization of Serum Phosphate Levels Next-gen PTH1R agonist: activity at 0.15 mg/kg QD comparable to SEP-786 at 3 mg/kg BID


Slide 13

Multiple Next-Generation PTH1R Agonists with Distinct Chemical Structures and Favorable Pharmacokinetics Profiles Example Next-Generation PTH1R Agonist PK Profiles PK studies in mice, rats, dogs, and cynomolgus monkeys support predicted human PK for QD or BID dosing Next-Gen PTH1R Agonist #1 Next-Gen PTH1R Agonist #2 Parameter Mouse Rat Dog Cyno Mouse Rat Dog Cyno Oral Bioavailability (%F) 91 56 88 68 90 93 77 56 PO Half-life (hr) 7.8 17 24 14 7.2 14 39 17 SEP-786 Mouse Rat Dog Cyno 54 26-50 40-60 44 4.6 4-8 5-7 8.2 vs. Predicted Human PK PO Half-life 9-27 hours Predicted Human PK PO Half-life 43-87 hours Predicted Human PK PO Half-life 17-34 hours Observed Human PK (Ph 1) PO Half-life ~18 hours vs. Next-gen PTH1R agonists: human PK properties (e.g., oral bioavailability and half life) predicted to be superior to SEP-786 Plan to select a next-generation candidate to accelerate toward the clinic later this year


Slide 14

SEP-631: Oral Small Molecule MRGPRX2 NAM Targeting MRGPRX2 for Mast Cell Disorders, Including CSU


Slide 15

MRGPRX2: Emerging Target for Mast Cell-Driven Diseases MRGPRX2 Highly and uniquely expressed on mast cells Distinct from IgE / allergen pathway Multiple endogenous agonists Mast Cell-Driven Diseases CSU, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and others CSU: Significant Unmet Need ~1.5 million patients in US Itchy, painful hives and angioedema Chronic symptoms can impact quality of life First-line treatment: antihistamines; 37% refractory Second-line treatment: anti-IgE (Xolair); 64% refractory Our Strategy: MRGPRX2 NAM Inhibit mast cell activation by selectively blocking MRGPRX2 NAM= Negative Allosteric Modulator


Slide 16

SEP-631: Oral Small Molecule MRGPRX2 NAM Designed to Stop MRGPRX2-Mediated Mast Cell Degranulation SEP-631 Potently Inhibited Skin Extravasation in MRGPRX2 Knock-in Mouse Model Treat with oral MRGPRX2 NAM (SEP-631) or vehicle Administer Evans Blue dye Measure extravasation of dye into skin Extravasation (no MRGPRX2 inhibition) No extravasation (MRGPRX2 inhibition) Knock-in Mouse mMRGPRB2 KO hMRGPRX2 KI SEP-631: Selective MRGPRX2 NAM Potent oral small molecule Blocked activation of all endogenous MRGPRX2 activators Showed insurmountable NAM profile with long-lasting inhibition Effective in Preclinical Models Prevented skin extravasation in human MRGPRX2 knock-in mouse Potently inhibited degranulation of primary human mast cells Demonstrated good PK properties and has been generally well tolerated in preclinical safety models to date Intradermal skin challenge with Cortistatin-14 (MRGPRX2 agonist) KO = gene knockout KI = gene knock-in


Slide 17

SEP-631: MRGPRX2 NAM with Potentially Differentiated Profile Key Criteria SEP-631 High Potency Demonstrated in multiple functional and binding assays Broad Inhibition Long residence time and insurmountable inhibition of multiple endogenous agonists Good Oral PK Excellent oral bioavailability; PK profile across species supports QD oral dosing projection in humans In vitro PD Activity in primary human skin mast cells In vivo PD Activity in hMRGPRX2 knock-in mice Favorable in vivo safety profile 14-day non-GLP studies in rat and dog showed a generally favorable tolerability profile IND-enabling studies ongoing to support advancement into Phase 1 clinical trial in 2025


Slide 18

TSHR NAM Program Oral Small Molecule Targeting TSHR for Graves’ Disease and TED


Slide 19

No Disease-Modifying Therapies for Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Graves’ Disease & TED Pathophysiology: Autoantibodies activate TSHR in thyroid gland and in orbital fibroblasts behind the eyes Graves’ Disease >2M patients in US Standard-of-care: antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, thyroidectomy TED Develops in ~50% of Graves’ disease patients TEPEZZA® (anti-IGF-1R) decreases proptosis but requires multiple IV infusions; serious side effects (e.g., hearing loss) Drug Discovery Challenge: Each Patient Has Unique Autoantibodies High-affinity, frequently polyclonal, high titer Our Strategy: TSHR NAM Oral disease-modifying treatment for all Graves’ disease and TED patients NAM= Negative Allosteric Modulator


Slide 20

Oral Small Molecule TSHR NAMs Reversed Symptoms in Novel Graves’ Disease Model Agonist mAb + Vehicle Agonist mAb + SP-1351 Isotype mAb control + Vehicle TSHR Activating Antibody Mouse ­ Thyroid Hormone Levels ­ Thyroid Size ­ Eye Proptosis (bulging) TSHR Activating Ab +TSHR NAM Reversal of Thyroid and Eye Manifestations 6 weeks 1 week Selective TSHR NAMs Blocked activation of TSHR by patient-derived autoantibodies Demonstrate insurmountable profiles Preclinical Leads Inhibited Diverse Patient Autoantibodies Fully inhibited several Graves’ patient polyclonal serum samples in primary orbital fibroblasts Reversed Graves’ Animal Disease Model Effects Normalization of thyroid hormone T4 Reduction in thyroid weight Reversal of proptosis mAb = monoclonal antibody


Slide 21

Incretin Receptor Agonist Programs Oral Small Molecule Single- and Multi-GLP-1R, GIPR, and GCGR Agonists for Metabolic Disorders, Including Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes


Slide 22

Next-Generation Oral Incretin Receptor Agonists Incretin peptide therapeutics have been transformative treatments for obesity and diabetes Marketed GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP products generated ~$36B in global sales in 2023 Limitations: tolerability, injection administration, prolonged titration schemes Our Strategy: Next-generation oral small molecule single- and multi-incretin receptor agonists that can be used as single medicines or in combination Septerna Binding Site Danuglipron & Orforglipron Sites vs. Approximate % sequence similarity across GLP-1R, GIPR, GCGR 80 - 90% 40 - 60% Novel binding pocket identified with potential to develop both single- and multi-incretin receptor agonists Pocket has higher sequence similarity across GLP-1R, GIPR, GCGR than known binding sites occupied by clinical-stage GLP-1R small molecule agonists


Slide 23

Discovery of Oral Small Molecule Single- and Multi-Incretin Receptor Agonists Example: Selective mono-GIPR agonists demonstrated weight loss both alone and with additive activity in combination with a GLP-1 peptide Diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model +/- semaglutide Identified Multiple Incretin Receptor Agonist Chemical Series Activity spans combinations of activities across GLP-1R, GIPR, and GCGR Optimizing Both Single- and Multi-Incretin Agonist Leads Focused on: Mono-GIPR agonists Dual-GIPR / GCGR agonists Triple-GLP-1R / GIPR / GCGR agonists


Slide 24

Building a World-Class GPCR-Focused Biotechnology Company


Slide 25

Proven Leaders in GPCR Drug Development and Company Building Senior Leadership Jeff Finer, MD PhD CEO Liz Bhatt, MS MBA COO Gil Labrucherie, CFA JD CFO Samira Shaikhly CPO Jae Kim, MD CMO Uwe Klein, PhD SVP Biological Sciences Dan Long, DPhil SVP Drug Discovery Board of Directors Jeff Finer, MD, PhD, CEO Jeff Tong, PhD, Third Rock Ventures Alan Ezekowitz, MD, DPhil, Third Rock Ventures Abe Bassan, Samsara BioCapital Jake Simson, PhD, RA Capital Bernard Coulie, MD, PhD, Independent Director Shalini Sharp, MBA, Independent Director Academic Co-Founders Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, Duke University Medical Center Arthur Christopoulos, PhD, Monash University Patrick Sexton, PhD, DSc, Monash University Drug Discovery Advisory Board Ruth Wexler, PhD, formerly with BMS David Lacey, MD, formerly with Amgen John Lowe, PhD, formerly with Pfizer Craig Lindsley, PhD, Vanderbilt, formerly with Merck


Slide 26

Septerna: Pioneering a New Era of GPCR Drug Discovery Program / Target Mode of Action Therapeutic Area Indications Discovery IND-enabling Phase 1 PTH1R Agonist Endocrinology Hypoparathyroidism SEP-631 (MRGPRX2) Negative Allosteric Modulator Immunology and Inflammation CSU and other mast cells diseases TSHR Negative Allosteric Modulator Endocrinology Graves’ disease and TED GLP-1R, GIPR, GCGR Single- and Multi-Agonists Metabolic Diseases Obesity and T2D Wholly owned portfolio of oral small molecule GPCR-targeted programs Multi-product pipeline, each with multi-billion $ market opportunity Native Complex Platform™ drives rapid compound identification and portfolio expansion Well-capitalized with operating runway into at least 2H 2027


Slide 27

Pioneering a New Era of GPCR Drug Discovery

v3.25.0.1
Document and Entity Information
Mar. 03, 2025
Cover [Abstract]  
Amendment Flag false
Entity Central Index Key 0001984086
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Mar. 03, 2025
Entity Registrant Name SEPTERNA, INC.
Entity Incorporation State Country Code DE
Entity File Number 001-42382
Entity Tax Identification Number 84-3891440
Entity Address, Address Line One 250 East Grand Avenue
Entity Address, City or Town South San Francisco
Entity Address, State or Province CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 94080
City Area Code (650)
Local Phone Number 338-3533
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Security 12b Title Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share
Trading Symbol SEPN
Security Exchange Name NASDAQ
Entity Emerging Growth Company true
Entity Ex Transition Period false

Septerna (NASDAQ:SEPN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2025 to Mar 2025 Click Here for more Septerna Charts.
Septerna (NASDAQ:SEPN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Mar 2025 Click Here for more Septerna Charts.