Celladon (Nasdaq: CLDN) is a USA-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the field of calcium dysregulation. The Company targets SERCA enzymes to develop novel therapies for diseases with unmet medical needs.

SERCA enzymes (Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase) are a family of enzymes that play an integral part in the regulation of intra-cellular calcium in all human cells. Calcium dysregulation is implicated in a number of important and complex medical conditions and diseases, such as heart failure, which is a clinical syndrome characterized by poor heart function, resulting in inadequate blood flow to meet the body’s metabolic needs, as well as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

Celladon’s most advanced product candidate is Mydicar, a genetically-targeted enzyme replacement therapy for advanced heart failure. The drug uses gene therapy to target SERCA2a, an enzyme that becomes deficient in patients with heart failure.

In February 2014 it was announced that Celladon had entered into an option agreement with French independent drugmaker Laboratories Servier for a potential worldwide ex-US research collaboration and license agreement for the discovery and development of novel SERCA2b modulators for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Under the terms of the deal, Celladon granted Servier an exclusive option to license the worldwide, ex-US, rights to the small-molecule program in the field of diabetes and other metabolic disorders for a certain period.