Swedish biotech company Pila Pharma has raised nearly 30 million Swedish kronor through a heavily oversubscribed capital increase on Nasdaq First North in Stockholm. The funds will accelerate the development of its promising oral treatment for obesity.
Founded by former Novo Nordisk researcher Dr Dorte X. Gram, the Malmö-based company is developing XEN-D0501, a next-generation therapy that targets the TRPV1 receptor, a biological regulator involved in pain, temperature and metabolism. The goal is to offer a tablet-based alternative to today’s injectable GLP-1 treatments, which have dominated the global obesity market in recent years.
The share issue was oversubscribed by 293 percent, one of the strongest biotech fundraises in the Nordic region this year. According to CEO Gustav H. Gram, this level of investor interest signals strong confidence in Pila Pharma’s scientific approach and the potential of an oral obesity therapy to reach a wider patient population.
Gram noted that over one billion people globally live with obesity and more than four billion are overweight. He said the company aims to create a scalable, practical solution that can be distributed widely and taken easily by patients, avoiding the limitations often associated with injectable drugs.
The new funding will support preclinical studies of XEN-D0501, which Pila Pharma describes as an oral TRPV1 inhibitor with a simpler chemical structure and potentially lower manufacturing cost than current obesity medications. Unlike GLP-1 drugs, XEN-D0501 does not act on the GLP-1 pathway, meaning it could help avoid the gastrointestinal side effects and high discontinuation rates seen with those therapies.
The studies will be conducted in partnership with Gubra, a Danish research company. Results are expected in early 2026, after which Pila Pharma intends to advance to human clinical trials, including a potential parallel study in type 2 diabetes.
As obesity rates continue to rise and demand for weight-loss medications exceeds supply, Pila Pharma’s work represents a potential shift toward more accessible and patient-friendly treatments. If successful, XEN-D0501 could provide pharmacies with an oral option for obesity management, expanding treatment possibilities beyond the current injectable-only landscape.
Pila Pharma is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market under the ticker PILA.