EydisBio Receives $0.5M Grant for Alzheimer's TAK1 Inhibitor Program

EydisBio, a forward-thinking pharmaceutical enterprise based in Durham, North Carolina, has secured a $0.5 million Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant is intended to bolster EydisBio’s cutting-edge research into innovative treatments for Alzheimer’s disease by focusing on the inhibition of TGFβ-activated protein kinase 1 (TAK1).

The research will be conducted in partnership with Dr. Jun Ninomiya-Tsuji and her team at North Carolina State University. Dr. Ninomiya-Tsuji's group is dedicated to exploring the molecular mechanisms of TAK1 and its involvement in various inflammatory diseases.

Dr. Tim Haystead, the Founder and President of EydisBio, expressed his gratitude for the NIH grant and the collaboration with Dr. Ninomiya-Tsuji’s team. He emphasized that this funding will enable their team to delve into innovative approaches for Alzheimer’s disease research, moving closer to developing effective treatments for this severe condition. He highlighted the shared commitment to positively impact the lives of patients and their families through this collaboration.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder affecting millions globally, characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment, and eventual loss of independence. Current treatments only offer limited symptomatic relief, underscoring the need for novel therapies that can decelerate or stop disease progression.

EydisBio's research targets TAK1, a pivotal regulator in neuronal necrosis and neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Initial studies have revealed that TAK1 signaling plays a significant role in both neuroinflammatory and necroptotic pathways, which are crucial in the neuronal death observed in Alzheimer’s disease. By inhibiting TAK1, EydisBio intends to lessen neuroinflammation and neuronal damage, presenting a new potential strategy for treating the disease.

EydisBio's preclinical findings include several key discoveries:

1. **Role of TAK1 as a mediator**: TAK1 is crucial in regulating TNF and glutamate signaling in neurons, shifting from inflammatory to necroptotic signaling, thereby contributing to neuronal death.

2. **Effectiveness of TAK1 inhibition**: Both genetic and pharmacological inhibition of TAK1 have shown promising results in rescuing neuronal loss in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease.

3. **Development of TAK1 inhibitors**: EydisBio has created a series of TAK1 inhibitors with high potency, selectivity within the human kinome, and oral bioavailability. These inhibitors have shown significant potential in reducing neuroinflammation and neuronal necrosis in preclinical studies.

The Phase I SBIR grant will finance further preclinical studies to substantiate these findings and pinpoint lead compounds for future development. The primary goal of this project is to generate crucial preclinical data supporting the viability of targeting the TAK1 pathway as a new therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease.