$64M raised for new cardiogenic shock drug—research already underway
There has been a lot of focus in recent years on the use of mechanical hemodynamic support to treat cardiogenic shock and lower its extremely high mortality rate. Now, a new drug is being studied that could give clinicians another way to treat these patients.
4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals GmbH, a German biotech company, has announced the extension of its Series C financing to $64 million (€55 million). Both existing and new investors have contributed funds. According to 4TEEN4, this money will be used to further develop the drug procizumab, expand the ongoing PROCARD 2a study across Europe and to support a planned U.S. pivotal trial.
“This financing reflects a strong vote of confidence in 4TEEN4’s mission and the transformative potential of our science to improve survival in critically ill patients," Andreas Bergmann, PhD, CEO of 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals, said in a statement. “Together with our investors, we are progressing toward delivering a breakthrough therapy that moves beyond supportive care for patients with life-threatening shock.”
Cardiogenic shock is a severe, life-threatening condition when the heart fails to deliver sufficient oxygen to meet metabolic demands, leading to organ dysfunction and failure. The company said this accounts for approximately one in three intensive care units (ICU) admissions and has mortality rates of over 50%.
The company said procizumab is aimed at changing the trajectory of shock by addressing its underlying drivers rather than just managing symptoms alone. It targets a key molecular driver of mortality in shock, which is circulating dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (cDPP3). When released into the blood due to cellular injury, it degrades angiotensin peptides, resulting in dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS).
Procizumab is a monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize cDPP3, restore RAAS balance and stabilize cardiovascular function. The company said procizumab has been demonstrated its therapeutic ability in both pre-clinical and clinical studies, where it effectively normalized cardiovascular parameters, reversed organ dysfunction and increased survival. Also, procizumab demonstrated favorable safety and tolerability in a phase 1 study of healthy volunteers.
The ongoing PROCARD 2a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of procizumab in patients with cardiogenic shock and elevated cDPP3 levels. The first patient was treated in July 2025, and the first interim results are expected in early 2026.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]