Sweden’s Omnio raises €2.9 million to advance its plasminogen-based therapy for hard-to-heal chronic wounds

Omnio, a BioTech company based in Umeå, Sweden, has successfully raised €2.9 million to progress its plasminogen-based therapy for treating chronic, hard-to-heal wounds. The funding round, which was oversubscribed, comes from existing investors and shareholders and builds on a larger €4.3 million financing round completed in spring 2025, aimed at completing the company's Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing process and moving closer to clinical trials.

Omnio's CEO, Felipe Velasquez, highlighted that the company's development has been on track as planned, and the funding demonstrates strong confidence from current investors. This financial boost will enable the company to continue development and strengthen its position before a forthcoming financing round specifically for clinical studies.

The company's lead therapy is a biologic treatment designed to tackle the underlying biology of impaired wound healing. Its primary focus is on diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), a condition affecting over half a billion people worldwide, with up to one-third developing a foot ulcer during their lifetime. These ulcers can become chronic and debilitating, leading to mobility issues, diminished quality of life, and in severe cases, amputation.

Moreover, advanced-stage diabetic foot ulcers cost healthcare systems approximately €50,000 per episode.

At the heart of Omnio's therapy is plasminogen, a natural protein with pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties that aids the body in clearing damaged tissue, fighting infection, and promoting skin regeneration. In individuals with chronic wounds, this healing process is disrupted. Omnio aims to restart this healing process through its lead drug candidate, a recombinant form of plasminogen.

The startup has established its master cell bank and is now scaling up manufacturing to prepare for GMP batch production in anticipation of toxicology studies. These studies are necessary before applying for clinical trials. Omnio plans to commence its clinical study program with a Phase I/IIa safety and early-efficacy study in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

The company is already evaluating contract research organizations (CROs), investigators, and trial countries across Europe to facilitate the launch of the clinical program.

While diabetic foot ulcers remain the company's primary focus, Omnio sees potential applications for its plasminogen platform in other chronic wound conditions, including venous leg ulcers (VLU), burns, tympanic membrane perforations, infection, and periodontitis. The company intends to open its next financing round in Q1 2027 to fund clinical development as it moves closer to presenting first efficacy data.

Velasquez emphasized that Omnio is developing a biologic therapy addressing the biology of wound healing rather than another medical device, a crucial distinction in the wound healing market.