Enveda Therapeutics received IND clearance and initiated a phase I trial of ENV‑6946, a first‑in‑class oral small molecule intended to treat inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The company positioned ENV‑6946 as a novel, orally bioavailable approach derived from its natural‑product discovery platform. Phase I will evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics and exploratory biomarkers; successful readouts would justify dose expansion into patient cohorts. The IND clearance signals continued investor and regulator support for small‑molecule approaches to gut inflammation alongside biologics and cell therapies.