Lumena was co-founded by RiverVest in 2010 to develop oral therapeutic compounds for the treatment of rare cholestatic liver diseases. The company’s lead asset, LUM001, was a novel, once-daily, orally administered, potent and selective apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) inhibitor that works by preventing recycling of bile acids back to the liver and is thought to reduce bile acid accumulation, improve liver function, and potentially relieve the extreme itching associated with cholestatic liver disease.

At the time of acquisition by Shire, LUM001 (maralixibat), was in Phase 2 clinical development for four rare cholestatic liver disease indications: Alagille syndrome (ALGS), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

Following Takeda’s acquisition of Shire in 2018, Mirum Pharmaceuticals¹  (a RiverVest Fund IV company formed by the original Lumena team plus new investors), bought back the asset (maralixibat) to continue its development and commercialization as LIVMARLI®.

RiverVest Fund II
Co-founded company and seed-funded it in 2010
Participated in $22 million Series A in 2012

Exit
Lumena acquired by Shire in 2014

• Shire acquired by Takeda in 2018
• Lumena team formed Mirum to buy back maralixibat from Takeda to continue its development