Braveheart Bio loads up with $185M to challenge BMS’ heart drug with bold new contender

Braveheart Bio raised $185 million in Series A funding to advance BHB-1893, a cardiac drug it claims could outperform Bristol Myers’ Camzyos in treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Why it matters: If successful, BHB-1893 could improve treatment options for HCM patients by offering a safer, simpler, and more effective alternative to existing therapies and challenge a billion-dollar market.

Backstory: BHB-1893 was licensed from China’s Hengrui Pharma, which has tested it in Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials in China. Braveheart, led by former HI-Bio CEO Travis Murdoch and chaired by Biogen CEO Chris Viehbacher, will begin global Phase 3 testing in 2026. The licensing deal could be worth over $1 billion and reflects a growing trend of startups sourcing advanced drug candidates from China.

Big picture: HCM affects millions, with about one-third suffering from the harder-to-treat non-obstructive type, an area with no approved drugs yet. Cardiac myosin inhibitors like Camzyos represent a new class of drugs improving heart function in HCM patients. Despite Camzyos’ success ($843M in 9 months), side effects, complex dosing, and limited uptake point to room for improvement. Competition is heating up: Braveheart joins a wave of biotech firms aiming to unseat Camzyos with more patient-friendly treatments.

Zoom in: Braveheart claims BHB-1893 shows rapid, meaningful impact and a favorable safety profile while being easier to prescribe and avoiding Camzyos’ dosing complexity and safety monitoring hurdles.