GPR17

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.

Myrobalan Therapeutics announced a $24 million raise Wednesday to fuel its pipeline of brain-penetrant, oral small molecules against targets involved in demyelination and neuroinflammation. The series A was led by Co-win Ventures, with participation from new and existing investors including Guan Zi Equity Investment (Li Shui) Partnership (Limited Partnership), 3E Bioventures Capital, and AB Magnitude Ventures Group.The funding will enable Myrobalan to advance its two leading compounds – a CSF1R inhibitor and a GPR17 antagonist – into the clinic by 2025, CEO Jing Wang told FirstWord.The company’s website lists multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as potential indications for the former candidate, which is intended to deplete maladaptive microglia that cause neuroinflammation, remyelination blockade and axon degeneration, while allowing for the repopulation of new microglia.The latter compound could be used to treat neuromyelitis optica (NMO), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and stroke, in addition to ALS, MS, and AD. GPR17 acts as an intrinsic brake to the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes, which are myelinating cells. By blocking GPR17, remyelination is promoted in a diseased or injured nervous system to restore neuronal health. Myrobalan co-founder Zhigang He discovered the potential of CSF1R and GPR17 inhibition to treat CNS diseases by studying the regrowth of axons in mice. While his team had successfully found a way to trigger axon regeneration after crushing mice’s optic nerves, the nerve fibres weren’t myelinated – which is necessary for speedy transmission between neurons, and the lack of which is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. After screening a panel of small molecules to measure their impact on oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation into myelination-competent oligodendrocytes, He and his team found that dual CSF1R/GPR17 inhibition after injury resulted in the myelination of about 60% of the mice's regenerated axons. The results were featured in a 2020 issue of Neuron, a journal published by Cell Press.The company’s third disclosed candidate is an allosteric TYK2 inhibitor Myrobalan is exploring to treat MS, AD and PD, thanks to its anti-neuroinflammation effects. “To restore brain functions, we focus on two important drivers of neurodegenerative diseases, demyelination and neuroinflammation,” Wang said. “Therapies targeting these novel mechanisms will be critical tools for neurologists in the future, as monotherapy or in combination with standard of care. It will be fantastic if in 10 to 15 years, we could combine a neuroprotective agent with anti-neuroinflammation and remyelinating drugs to maximise the chance for our patient to recover brain functions.”While no clinical compound has been successful targeting neuroinflammation to treat a CNS disease, TYK2’s potential to do just that has steadily been gaining attention. Last month, Sudo Biosciences debuted with $116 million and a TYK2 inhibitor it plans to bring into the clinic this year for MS. Biohaven is also planning a 2024 start for a Phase II trial of its dual TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor BHV-8000 to treat PD. For more, see Spotlight On: Biohaven's next act – testing if JAKs can ply another trade.According to its website, Myrobalan also has a discovery-stage programme in schizophrenia, but has not disclosed its mechanism of action.