Hyderabad-based biotech startup Utopia Therapeutics has raised $1.5 million in Seed funding from Whale Tank to accelerate the development of its next-generation vaccines targeting chronic metabolic diseases, with a particular focus on obesity.
Key Highlights
- Funding & Utilization
- The $1.5 million investment will be used to:
- Advance preclinical development of UT009, the company’s lead immunotherapeutic candidate.
- Support regulatory toxicology studies and IND-enabling milestones.
- Lay the groundwork for Phase I human clinical trials.
- The $1.5 million investment will be used to:
- About Utopia Therapeutics
- Founded in 2024 by Uday Saxena and Gopi Kadiyala, the startup is developing first-in-class vaccines targeting chronic metabolic diseases, starting with obesity.
- Utopia focuses on using novel immunotherapeutic strategies to address the root causes of weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.
- The Science Behind UT009
- UT009 is a vaccine-based therapy that works by targeting lipid-associated antigens to:
- Reduce fat accumulation.
- Improve overall metabolic health.
- The approach aims to offer long-term benefits without the drawbacks of current obesity medications.
- UT009 is a vaccine-based therapy that works by targeting lipid-associated antigens to:
- Co-founders’ Vision
- In a joint statement, Uday Saxena and Gopi Kadiyala said:
“Obesity is a global epidemic with limited long-term therapeutic options. UT009 represents a paradigm shift by addressing the root causes of weight gain. This investment enables us to move swiftly toward clinical translation.”
- In a joint statement, Uday Saxena and Gopi Kadiyala said:
- Pipeline Expansion
- Alongside UT009, the company is working to scale and commercialize UT018, a regenerative product line based on Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)-qualified compounds for non-pharmaceutical applications.
