AllRock Bio: A New Biotech Startup Tackling Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Led by a team of former CinCor Pharma executives, AllRock Bio has launched with a $50 million Series A funding round to advance an experimental drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The startup, founded just after AstraZeneca acquired CinCor in 2023, is developing ROC-101, a pan-ROCK inhibitor licensed from Sanofi.

The Drug and Its Potential

ROC-101 targets rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK), impacting various cellular functions. As a pan-ROCK inhibitor, it affects two types of ROCK enzymes, potentially offering a more potent treatment than existing options. The drug was previously part of Kadmon's portfolio before Sanofi's acquisition and is now being repurposed for PAH and PAH with interstitial lung disease.

Catherine Pearce, CEO and co-founder of AllRock Bio. Permission granted by AllRock Bio.

Clinical Development and Strategy

AllRock plans to initiate a Phase 2a study by the end of the year, testing ROC-101 as a complementary therapy to standard treatments. The company's chief scientific officer, Bill Marshall, highlighted that a pan-ROCK inhibitor could be particularly effective by targeting inflammatory and fibrotic pathways that clog pulmonary arteries.

Funding and Future Plans

The $50 million funding, co-led by Versant Ventures and Westlake BioPartners, will support the company through Phase 2 testing. AllRock is a spinout from JucaBio, a hub-and-spoke biotech model that forms startups around assets not fitting other portfolios. CEO Catherine Pearce stated they are focused on generating data to attract potential partners but are prepared to advance the drug independently if needed.