Kailera Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts (with additional operations in San Diego, CA) developing a pipeline of next-generation GLP-1-based therapies for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic conditions. The company was launched in October 2024 after acquiring exclusive ex-Greater China rights to a portfolio of four metabolic disease assets from Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. Its lead candidate, ribupatide (KAI-9531 / HRS9531), is an injectable once-weekly GLP-1/GIP dual receptor agonist in global Phase 3 development that delivered roughly 18% body-weight reduction at 48 weeks in a Hengrui-led Phase 3 trial in China. The broader pipeline includes an oral formulation of ribupatide, KAI-7535 (an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist), and KAI-4729 (an injectable GLP-1/GIP/glucagon tri-agonist). Kailera was seeded by Atlas Venture, Bain Capital Life Sciences and RTW Investments with a $400M Series A in October 2024, added a $600M Series B led by Bain Capital Private Equity in October 2025, and completed a record-setting $625M IPO on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under ticker KLRA in April 2026.
Kailera Therapeutics is publicly traded
IPO'd on April 17, 2026
This company is no longer available on our private secondary market. Shares can be traded publicly under KLRA.
Company data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Founded
2024
Employees
140–153
Total Funding
$1.63B
3 rounds
Total raised $1.63B across 3 rounds
Funding data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Last updated 06-25-2026
Latest Round
Type
IPO
Date
April 17, 2026
Amount
$625M
Valuation
—
Lead Investors
| Date | Round | Amount Raised | Valuation | Lead Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2026 | IPO | $625M | — | IPO underwriters |
| October 2025 | Series B | $600M | — | Not publicly disclosed |
| October 2024 | Series A | $400M | — | Atlas Venture, Bain Capital Life Sciences, RTW Investments |
Ron Renaud
President and Chief Executive Officer
Paul Burgess
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer
Scott Wasserman
Chief Medical Officer
Doug Bakan
Chief Technology Officer
Jamie Coleman
Chief Commercial Officer
Paula Cloghessy
Chief People Officer
John F. Milligan
Chair of the Board
Competitor list is illustrative and may be incomplete, stale, or erroneous.
Eli Lilly
Pharma incumbent whose GLP-1/GIP dual agonist tirzepatide (Zepbound / Mounjaro) is the closest mechanistic comparator to Kailera's lead asset ribupatide and the current market leader in dual-agonist obesity therapy.
Novo Nordisk
Co-dominant GLP-1 obesity franchise owner (semaglutide / Wegovy, Ozempic) with deep pipeline in next-generation incretin therapies competing directly for the obesity market Kailera is targeting.
Viking Therapeutics
Clinical-stage biotech developing VK2735, a GLP-1/GIP dual agonist in injectable and oral formats - the most direct mechanistic peer to Kailera's ribupatide among emerging public obesity biotechs.
Structure Therapeutics
Clinical-stage biotech advancing aleniglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity and diabetes, competing directly with Kailera's oral GLP-1 program KAI-7535.
Altimmune
Clinical-stage biotech developing pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist for obesity and MASH, differentiated by muscle-mass preservation - an indirect competitor in the next-generation obesity therapeutic landscape.
Amgen
Large-cap biotech advancing MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), a long-acting GLP-1/GIP-receptor-targeted obesity therapy, that competes for the same dual-incretin mechanism space as Kailera's ribupatide.
Yes, Kailera Therapeutics is publicly traded under the ticker symbol KLRA on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The company went public in April 17, 2026.
Kailera Therapeutics trades under the ticker symbol KLRA on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. It began trading in April 17, 2026.
Kailera Therapeutics (KLRA on the Nasdaq Global Select Market) shares can be purchased through any standard brokerage account — including Fidelity, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and online platforms like Robinhood or E*TRADE. Search for the ticker KLRA to place an order.
Kailera Therapeutics went public in April 17, 2026 via ipo. Kailera Therapeutics completed its initial public offering on April 17, 2026, listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol KLRA at $16.00 per share. The upsized offering raised gross proceeds of approximately $625M (roughly $718.8M including full exercise of underwriters' option for 5,859,375 additional shares), making it one of the largest biotech IPOs on record. The IPO implied a fully diluted market capitalization of approximately $2.1B at pricing. J.P. Morgan, Jefferies, Leerink Partners, TD Cowen, and Evercore ISI served as joint book-running managers, with William Blair as lead manager.
Kailera Therapeutics raised $1.63B across 3 disclosed funding rounds prior to its public listing.
Kailera Therapeutics is headquartered in Waltham, MA.
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