FunPep <4881> announced consolidated financial results for the 1st quarter (January to March 24) of the fiscal year ending 2024/12 on the 13th. Sales increased 54.8% from the same period last year to 50 billion yen, operating loss was 183 million yen (loss of 378 million yen in the same period last year), ordinary loss was 170 million yen (loss of 343 million yen), and quarterly net loss attributable to parent company shareholders was 168 million yen (341 million yen).
Regarding the antibody-inducing peptide project, the antibody-inducing peptide “FPP003” (target protein: IL-17A) has been undergoing phase 1/2a clinical trial in Australia, using Fpp003 psoriasis vulgaris as a target disease from 2019/4. Clinical trial data in Australia can be used for approval applications in the US, Europe, etc., and clinical trials in the US etc. are expected after the next phase. The antibody-inducing peptide “FPP004X” (target protein: IgE) is undergoing preclinical trials with the aim of starting clinical trials in Japan in 2025. Furthermore, an option agreement was signed with Shionogi Pharmaceutical in 2024/3. As a result, Shionogi Pharmaceutical acquired option rights relating to the acquisition of exclusive research and development and commercialization rights for all diseases worldwide. The antibody-inducing peptide “FPP005” (target protein: IL-23) aims to further improve the developed product profile, and research on new formulation technologies, starting with microneedle technology, which is being jointly researched with Medrex, is underway. Exploratory research on antibody-inducing peptides is being carried out through joint research with Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
The novel coronavirus peptide vaccine “FPP006” carried out research and development as the Reiwa 3 “Bridging Research Program (Seeds B) /Infectious Diseases/Related Diseases” (2nd public offering) of the National Research and Development Corporation Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), which was adopted by Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, and finished with certain results by 2024/3.
The functional peptide “SR-0379” is proceeding with development policy discussions with partner Shionogi Pharmaceutical regarding development targeting specific skin ulcer patients whose effects were seen in partial group analysis of post-mortem analysis of this test.
For business fields other than pharmaceuticals, “mild cleansing shampoo” was sold by FANCL in 2018/3, and “portable alcohol disinfectant spray” etc. were sold by SMV JAPAN in 2020/4, and products containing the functional peptides of the company group are being sold. For joint development of products containing functional peptides, a joint development agreement for wound irrigators was signed with Science in 2022/2, a joint development agreement for stem cell cosmetics with AS Medical Support and N3 in 2022/12, and a joint development agreement for femtech cosmetics with Saint Louis International in 2022/2.
For the full fiscal year ending 2024/12, the Group's business profits depend on the status of negotiations with new partner candidates, etc., and considering that uncertainty, it is currently difficult to rationally calculate, so earnings forecasts are not described.