Utopia Therapeutics Raises USD 1.5 Mn Funding from Whale Tank to Advance Obesity Vaccine
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Hyderabad-based biotech startup Utopia Therapeutics has raised USD 1.5 million in seed funding from Whale Tank, a leading early-stage venture capital firm.
The funding will fuel the preclinical development of UT009, the company's lead immunotherapeutic candidate targeting obesity, and support its progress toward regulatory toxicology studies, IND-enabling milestones, and Phase I clinical trials.
Co-founded in 2024 by Uday Saxena and Gopi Kadiyala, Utopia Therapeutics is pioneering next-generation vaccines for chronic metabolic diseases, with a core focus on obesity treatment. The company's mission is to address the root causes of weight gain through innovative immunotherapies rather than traditional pharmaceutical approaches.
"We are thrilled to have Whale Tank as a strategic partner in our journey to redefine obesity treatment," said Saxena and Kadiyala in a statement. "Obesity is a global epidemic with limited long-term therapeutic options. UT009 represents a paradigm shift, targeting lipid-associated antigens to reduce fat accumulation and improve metabolic health."
The startup is also working to scale up its UT018-based regenerative product line, which leverages GRAS-qualified, non-pharmaceutical applications for broader metabolic benefits.
Whale Tank's Managing Partner, Markandeya Gorantla, commented, "Utopia's approach is bold, scientifically rigorous, and offers enormous potential to disrupt the obesity market. We are excited to support their mission of bringing immunotherapeutics to the forefront of chronic disease management."
Utopia Therapeutics continues to build momentum in the biotech space, aiming to deliver first-in-class vaccines for sustainable metabolic health.
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