The financing will support RTX-001, RougeTx’s lead program, as it advances toward first-in-human clinical development for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). HHT is the second most common inherited bleeding disorder. The disease is caused by abnormal blood vessel formation known as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), which can lead to recurrent nose and gastrointestinal bleeding, iron deficiency, chronic anemia, and potentially serious complications affecting major organs. There are currently no approved therapies for HHT, and patients rely largely on supportive care and off-label treatments.

“RTX-001 is designed to stabilize fragile blood vessels by restoring pericyte attachment. The data we have generated for RTX-001 gives us a strong foundation as we move toward the clinic. This financing also allows us to explore where the same biology may impact other vascular diseases,” said Andrew Lightfoot, Chief Executive Officer at RougeTx.

Franck Lebrin, Co-Founder and Scientific Advisor at RougeTx, remarked: “RougeTx represents the culmination of more than 20 years of research, initially at Inserm and over the past decade in my laboratory at Leiden University Medical Center. I am excited by the opportunity to bring a novel treatment to the HHT community.”

Sandra Glucksmann, Executive Chair at RougeTx, noted: “For too long, people living with HHT have faced a serious, lifelong disease with no approved treatment options. RougeTx was founded with a commitment to this community and a belief that advances in vascular biology can finally make a meaningful difference for patients and families. We are grateful to our investors for their support and shared commitment to our mission.”

Through its periSCOPE platform, RougeTx is applying its deep understanding of vascular biology beyond HHT to identify new treatment opportunities in diseases driven by vascular instability. The platform is intended to support a pipeline of small-molecule therapies based on a common underlying biology.

In connection with the financing, Edward van Wezel, Managing Partner at BGV; Regina Hodits, Managing Director at Angelini Ventures; Hadrien Bouchez, Partner at Kurma Partners; Elizabeth Roper, Managing Partner at Epidarex Capital; and Stéphane Verdood, Managing Partner at Vesalius Biocapital Partners, will join RougeTx’s Board of Directors alongside existing directors.

About RougeTx

RougeTx is a spin-off from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and is developing first-in-class small-molecule therapies to restore vascular stability in diseases driven by pericyte dysfunction. Pericytes regulate angiogenesis and support blood vessel integrity and function. Our aim is to move beyond current symptom management toward urgently needed disease-modifying treatments for vascular diseases.

Our lead program targets Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) along with additional indications related to vascular stability diseases. For more information, please visit: https://www.rougetx.com/