GPR17

EDINBURGH, UK I January 14, 2025 I Pheno Therapeutics Limited., a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of neurological diseases, announced today it has received clinical trial authorisation (CTA) from the UK’s MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) for its lead candidate, PTD802. A selective GPR17 (G protein-coupled receptor 17) antagonist, PTD802 is a novel small molecule therapeutic designed to promote remyelination. Developed under an exclusive worldwide licence agreement with UCB, the programme is targeted toward treatment of neurological diseases with high unmet medical need, with an initial focus on multiple sclerosis (MS). Demyelination in MS occurs when the immune system attacks and damages the myelin sheaths that insulate and nourish axons and nerve fibres in the central nervous system, leading to multifocal demyelination, axonal injury, and neurodegeneration. MS is a chronic disease caused by demyelination, often associated with a wide range of neurological symptoms, which despite the ability of existing drugs to control the inflammatory component of the disease, can progress to total physical and cognitive disability. Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Co-Founder of Pheno Therapeutics, said: “Current treatments for MS focus mainly on the immune aspects of the disease, reducing severity and frequency of relapses. There is an urgent and unmet need for effective therapeutics that limit disability progression in MS, with remyelination offering a promising neuroprotective treatment. Whilst GPR17 antagonists have potential utility beyond MS, PTD802 is a hugely promising first-in-class oral remyelination agent which we believe will be the next step in devising combinatorial approaches to preventing MS progression.” “We are delighted to have received approval from the MHRA to progress our PTD802 programme to a Phase 1 trial, a major milestone, marking our transition to a clinical stage organisation. As the first company to carry out dosing of a selective GPR17 antagonist in healthy humans we are leading the way in the race to develop GPR17-targeting remyelination therapeutics,” added Fraser Murray, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Pheno Therapeutics. “With this first-in-human programme we are moving closer to our goal of delivering transformational drugs for the treatment of neurological diseases associated with demyelination .” SOURCE: Pheno Therapeutics

MEDFORD, Mass.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Myrobalan Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel oral small-molecule therapies to repair damage and restore brain function in high-unmet need central nervous system (CNS) conditions, today announced data demonstrating that their small molecule G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) antagonists show a biological effect in a number of in vitro and in vivo preclinical models. The data were presented in a poster at the 40 th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 17–20, 2024. The ECTRIMS data demonstrate an effect by Myrobalan’s GPR17 antagonists on oligodendrocyte maturation, a requirement for remyelination, compared to controls in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived oligodendrocytes and in multiple mouse models of demyelination. Enhanced remyelination was also observed after treatment with a GPR17-antagonist compound in a mouse model. “ Patients with MS could benefit greatly from treatments that have potential to reverse the course of their disease by repairing the myelin damage that drives it. Currently available disease-modifying treatments address inflammatory processes, but are unable to repair damage to myelin, which is a critical mechanism of progression,” said Dr. Jing Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Myrobalan Therapeutics. “ The data from our GPR17 program demonstrate regenerative activity in both human iPSC and animal models, including direct evidence of remyelination in the brain, which gives us confidence to rapidly advance this program into the clinic.” Myrobalan Therapeutics is currently advancing its oral small molecule GPR17 antagonist program to demonstrate that it can safely promote remyelination as a proof of mechanism in upcoming clinical trials. Compounds generated to date have been shown to be potent, highly selective, and brain-penetrant in preclinical testing. About Myrobalan Therapeutics Myrobalan Therapeutics is a preclinical stage biotechnology company headquartered in Medford, Massachusetts, with a focus on developing oral neurorestorative therapies aimed at reversing key pathologies underlying brain dysfunctions and CNS conditions. Myrobalan applies deep knowledge of neurological processes such as demyelination and neuroinflammation, and innovative drug discovery tools, to create highly selective and brain-penetrant therapeutic candidates that are uniquely positioned for treating CNS conditions with significant unmet medical need. Myrobalan’s pipeline of novel remyelination and anti-neuroinflammation programs are being advanced with the strategic support of renowned institutional co-founders. Myrobalan is committed to a transformed future in which patients with degenerative CNS conditions can access safe and effective medicines offering restorative potential. For more information on Myrobalan Therapeutics, visit our website at myrotx.com .

MEDFORD, Mass.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Myrobalan Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel oral small-molecule therapies to repair damage and restore brain function in high-unmet need central nervous system (CNS) conditions, announces the appointment of Mr. Grant C. Bogle to its Board of Directors. Mr. Bogle is a seasoned biotech executive with over three decades of operational experience in the biopharma industry and a strong focus on financial strategy, business development, corporate governance, and general management. The announcement comes approximately one month after the company raised an additional $9 million from three new investors through a subsequent closing of its Series A round, bringing total Series A funding to $33 million. The additional capital empowers the company to advance its lead CSF1R inhibitor program through first-in-human clinical testing and its demyelination-targeting GPR17 program through IND-enabling studies. “ Grant is a highly accomplished life sciences executive who has overseen the growth, commercialization, and sale of multiple successful biotechnology companies. I am thrilled to welcome him to our Board of Directors,” said Dr. Jing Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Myrobalan Therapeutics. “ Grant's financial, operational, and leadership experience will be an invaluable asset to Myrobalan as we deploy capital to fuel our next phase of growth and progress our pipeline into the clinic.” Mr. Bogle was formerly Chief Executive Officer at Epizyme, Inc., a Boston-based biotechnology company that developed TAZVERIK™ (tazemetostat), an FDA-approved oral EZH2 inhibitor for the treatment of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. He assumed the CEO position in 2021 after having served on the Epizyme Board of Directors since 2019, and subsequently oversaw the 2022 acquisition of the company by Ipsen. Prior to that, Grant was senior vice president and chief commercial officer of TESARO, a publicly traded oncology company, which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in 2018 for $5.1 billion. Earlier, he served as senior vice president of pharmaceutical and biotech solutions at McKesson Specialty Health/U.S. Oncology, and was a senior executive at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Viacord, Roche, and Knoll Pharmaceutical Company. " It is a privilege to join Myrobalan's Board of Directors at such an exciting time in the company's journey," said Mr. Bogle. " Myrobalan's clear focus on central nervous system diseases, strong pipeline of brain-penetrant oral small molecule programs, and rapid R&D progress give this company tremendous potential to advance first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics. I am eager to contribute my expertise and to work alongside this talented team to advance our mission of delivering transformative treatments to patients with severe CNS disorders." Mr. Bogle also serves on the board of the American School for the Deaf, the oldest permanent school for the deaf in the United States. He holds a B.A. in economics from Dartmouth College, an MBA from Columbia Business School, and served as a fellow in the 2020 cohort of the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. About Myrobalan Therapeutics Myrobalan Therapeutics is a preclinical stage biotechnology company headquartered in Medford, Massachusetts, with a focus on developing oral neurorestorative therapies aimed at reversing key pathologies underlying brain dysfunctions and CNS conditions. Myrobalan applies deep knowledge of neurological processes such as demyelination and neuroinflammation, and innovative drug discovery tools, to create highly selective and brain-penetrant therapeutic candidates that are uniquely positioned for treating CNS conditions with significant unmet medical need. Myrobalan’s pipeline of novel remyelination and anti-neuroinflammation programs are being advanced with the strategic support of renowned institutional co-founders. Myrobalan is committed to a transformed future in which patients with degenerative CNS conditions can access safe and effective medicines offering restorative potential. For more information on Myrobalan Therapeutics, visit our website at myrotx.com.