RougeTx, a biotechnology company, has raised $58 million in its first major funding round to develop a new oral treatment called RTX-001. This medication is designed to help people with a rare inherited bleeding disorder called Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) by strengthening their blood vessels. The funding was led by BGV, Angelini Ventures, and Kurma Partners, with contributions from several other investment firms. This money will help move RTX-001 closer to its first human trials. Currently, there are no approved treatments for HHT. HHT affects the blood vessels, causing frequent nosebleeds, stomach bleeding, low iron levels, chronic anemia, and serious complications in major organs. RTX-001 aims to stabilize fragile blood vessels by helping specific cells called pericytes attach properly. RougeTx’s CEO, Andrew Lightfoot, explained that this treatment could also be explored for other vascular diseases. Francks Lebrin, the company’s co-founder and scientific advisor, shared that RougeTx’s work builds on over 20 years of research, including his own work at Leiden University Medical Center. Sandra Glucksmann, Executive Chair at RougeTx, emphasized that people with HHT have long lived with this serious disease without any approved treatment options. She expressed gratitude for the investors’ support in helping bring a new treatment to patients and families. RougeTx also has a platform called periSCOPE, which will help find new treatments for other diseases related to unstable blood vessels, using small-molecule therapies based on shared biological mechanisms.