F2G seeks second bite of the cherry with $100 million round as novel antifungal pipeline remains thin

F2G’s September $100m funding round provides the company with crucial funds to renavigate approval of its lead drug, olorofim. The substantial financing also highlights the paucity of novel antifungal products in the clinic. 

Olorofim is an orotomides, one of the few novel antifungal classes developed in the past 20 years. Olorofim is also the only antifungal project to be awarded a breakthrough therapy designation for multiple indications by the FDA. The oral product is being developed for invasive aspergillosis, and other rare mould infections – where there are few available treatments.

For decades, clinicians have relied on three antifungal classes – triazoles, polyenes and echinocandins. But these mechanisms are increasingly failing in patients and have significant limitations due to limited spectrum of activity, drug toxicities and drug-on-drug interactions.