Neuraly

A biotech company using technology created at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for the development of neuroprotective agents for neurologic disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

NLY01 is a brain-penetrant long-acting Glucagon-lie peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist. This class of drugs has a known safety profile and was already approved to treatments of Type 2 diabetes. NLY01 was found to prevent neuronal cell death by inhibition of microglial activation and formation of A1 neurotoxic astroglial cells in mouse models. In Parkinson’s disease mice, disease progression, motor and cognitive functions and lifespan were improved as a result of treatment with NLY01. A Phase 1 clinical study to assess safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers began in September 2018.

Astrocytes are specialized glial cells with essential functions in the central nervous system with roles in synaptic transmission and information processing by neural circuit functions. Loss of normal astrocyte function contributes to clinical and pathological conditions. Astrocytes can be converted to a neurotoxic A1 phenotype through a mechanism involving activation of microglia by inflammatory mediators. NLY01 prevents this process and has been shown to be neuroprotective.

Neuraly raised Series A financing of $36 million form D&D Pharmatech with participation from Korean venture funds, including: Smilegate Investment, InterVest, LB Investment, Magna Investment, Geon Investment and Dongkoo Bio&Pharma. U.S. -based funds Octave Life Sciences and Maryland Venture Fund also participated in financing.