Enveda Biosciences secured FDA IND clearance and initiated a phase I trial of ENV‑6946, a first‑in‑class oral small molecule candidate for inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The company positioned ENV‑6946 as a novel therapeutic with a unique mechanism discovered via its natural‑product discovery platform. The IND and trial start mark Enveda’s transition from discovery to clinical validation; early safety, pharmacokinetic and biomarker readouts will determine whether the candidate advances to efficacy testing. For IBD drug developers, ENV‑6946’s oral small‑molecule profile and discovery rationale will be watched for differentiation versus biologics and JAK inhibitors.