Vima secures $60M for mid-stage oral dystonia trials

Vima Therapeutics has recently entered the biotechnology landscape with an impressive $60 million Series A funding round. The company aims to pioneer the first oral therapy specifically for dystonia, a chronic movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. Currently, no treatments directly address the underlying causes of this condition, which marks a significant gap in medical therapeutics.

Vima’s lead development program focuses on VIM0423, a compound that targets muscarinic cholinergic receptors and is presently undergoing Phase I clinical trials. This financial backing, led by Atlas Venture and supported by Access Industries and Canaan, will be utilized to advance VIM0423 into Phase II trials, set to commence in the fourth quarter. The company is optimistic about the potential of VIM0423 to significantly alter the treatment landscape for dystonia by introducing a more targeted therapeutic approach.

Existing therapies for movement disorders often target muscarinic receptors but have been plagued with poor tolerability and limited efficacy. Bernard Ravina, the founder and CEO of Vima, emphasizes that VIM0423’s design focuses on selectively blocking specific muscarinic receptors in the brain that are involved in dystonia. This precise targeting aims to address the disorder’s biological underpinnings while reducing the off-target side effects that have historically challenged this class of drugs.

Muscarinic receptors have garnered attention recently, particularly due to their role in psychiatric treatments. Bristol Myers Squibb’s innovative schizophrenia medication, Cobenfy (a combination of xanomeline and trospium chloride), targets the M1/M4 receptors and acts as an agonist. In contrast, VIM0423 functions as an antagonist, illustrating a different approach within the same receptor domain.

Ravina explains that dystonia is driven by abnormal signaling within certain brain regions, which are often also implicated in various psychiatric conditions. While psychiatric treatments aim to enhance signaling, treatments for movement disorders like dystonia focus on inhibiting activity in the brain’s motor networks. This inhibition is intended to restore balance and alleviate the involuntary muscle contractions symptomatic of the disorder.

Before establishing Vima Therapeutics, Ravina accrued significant experience in the field. He previously held the position of Chief Medical Officer at Praxis Precision Medicines and served in the same capacity at Voyager Therapeutics. His career also includes a notable tenure as the Medical Director of Translational Neurology at Biogen, where he gained invaluable insights into neurological disorders and their treatments.

Vima Therapeutics hopes that their novel approach with VIM0423 will offer a more effective and safer treatment for dystonia, thus addressing a critical unmet need in the realm of movement disorders. By honing in on the specific muscarinic receptors involved in the condition, they aim to provide relief to patients with minimal side effects, potentially transforming the standard of care for dystonia.