The round is co-led by Novo Holdings and the Ljungström family office, with participation from originator Helsinn, existing investors including Industrifonden, Pureos Bioventures, Sound Bioventures, Flerie and LLD Nybohov Invest AB, as well as new investor Innovestor.
The financing will fully fund the Phase 2b GOAL-HF2 study, which is expected to enroll its first participant in Q4 2026. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will evaluate AC01 in approximately 400 patients with chronic, advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) across Europe and North America.
AC01 is a first-in-class oral ghrelin receptor agonist designed to improve cardiac contractility through a differentiated calcium-sensitizing mechanism. The program addresses a significant unmet need in advanced heart failure, where existing treatment options remain limited and conventional inotropic therapies are generally restricted by safety concerns.
In the Phase 1b/2a GOAL-HF1 study, AC01 demonstrated clinical proof of concept alongside a favorable safety and tolerability profile. After 28 days, patients receiving AC01 3 mg twice daily showed a 22% increase in cardiac output from baseline and a 4.8 percentage point improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, compared with 1.6 percentage points in the placebo group.
The new financing enables AnaCardio to progress AC01 into Phase 2b development, with the goal of advancing the program towards Phase 3 readiness by 2028.
For Industrifonden, the investment represents continued support for AnaCardio as the company advances a novel therapeutic approach in an area with significant unmet medical need.
