TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following the successful early-stage validation of Cyclica’s Ligand Express® platform from an initial collaboration, NeuroTheryX Canada Ltd. (NeuroTheryX) and Cyclica, Inc. (Cyclica) form a new joint venture, NineteenGale Therapeutics (NineteenGale) to identify and develop novel cannabinoid-inspired drugs for bipolar disorder, anxiety, and pain management. Under the initial stealth project, NeuroTheryX combined their phenotype-based drug discovery platform with Cyclica’s first-in-class proteome screening platform, Ligand Express, to synergistically uncover novel protein targets of NeuroTheryX’s lead molecule in the area of neurodegenerative disease.
Targets of interest were successfully triaged and identified using Cyclica’s Ligand Express platform and NeuroTheryX’s proprietary platform. Ligand Express predicted NeuroTheryX’s previously unknown target within the top 20 ranked putative proteins and top 0.25% of proteins in Cyclica’s database. Subsequently, NeuroTheryX validated the hit in vitro and confirmed the readout in their novel in vivo model.
Based on the success of the initial collaboration, NeuroTheryX and Cyclica join forces to launch NineteenGale Therapeutics, a joint venture creating the next generation of novel cannabinoid-inspired therapeutics for mental health and neuropsychiatric disorders. NeuroTheryX will continue to combine its proprietary platform with Cyclica’s integrated Ligand Express and Ligand Design platform, for the design and advancement of novel molecular entities under NineteenGale. Initial molecules generated by Ligand Design have shown promising in vitro and in vivo data.
Armen Manoukian, Chief Science Officer at NeuroTheryX, says, “The combination of technologies at both NeuroTheryX and Cyclica has already established a unique and innovative approach to drug discovery that promises to be transformative. The AI-driven generation of superior ‘New Chemical Entity’ variants of cannabinoids generated by NineteenGale will have wide-reaching implications for patients suffering from a multitude of mental health disorders - delivering innovative and novel potential therapeutics.”
Research continues to highlight that complex diseases, including neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, require a depth of knowledge to develop effective treatments and address the diversity of patient needs. By empowering NineteenGale with a distinguished AI-augmented platform and an established phenotype-based platform, this unique collaboration bridges technological advancements with scientific innovation to drive novel drug discovery. Both parent companies and NineteenGale are committed to working synergistically to make significant impacts on the mental health landscape.
“Mental health disorders continue to be a big challenge for both patients and drug researchers, due to the complexity of the underlying biology and diversity of disease phenotypes. This is a space that we are dedicated to investing heavily in,” said Naheed Kurji, President and CEO of Cyclica. “By leveraging our previously prospective success with NeuroTheryX and now forming NineteenGale, we believe together we can create a wave of new cannabinoid-based medicines to create a meaningful impact in the lives of patients.”
About NeuroTheryX Canada Ltd. (NeuroTheryX)
NeuroTheryX Canada Inc. is a unique CNS focused therapeutics company in Toronto with drug discovery and development of both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. The drug discovery and development philosophy at NeuroTheryX is mechanism-based and targets discovery of disease cures through elucidation of the “mechanism of action” (MOA) as well as genetic targets. Both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products are identified and evaluated using genetic targets and phenotype-based models – emphasizing a biological approach. The cornerstone of NeuroTheryX’s advantage is the novel and proven phenotype-based drug discovery platform. The company has also established a network of collaborations and interactions with academic and pharmaceutical sectors to help deliver viable clinical therapeutics.
About Cyclica, Inc. (Cyclica)
Cyclica is a Toronto, Canada based biotechnology company that is decentralizing the discovery of new medicines with its integrated structure-based and AI-augmented drug discovery platform, Ligand Design and Ligand Express. Taken together Ligand Design and Ligand Express design advanced lead-like molecules that minimize unwanted off-target effects, while providing a holistic understanding of a molecule's activity through integrated systems biology and structural pharmacogenomics. Cyclica’s differentiated platform opens new opportunities for drug discovery, including multi-targeted and multi-objective drug design, lead optimization, ADMET-property prediction, target deconvolution, and drug repurposing for a wide range of indications. With a world-class team with deep roots in industry and a first-in-class integrated drug discovery platform, Cyclica will spark a surge of innovation through a combination of venture creation and partnerships with early-stage and emerging biotech companies. By doing more with AI, Cyclica will revolutionize a system troubled with attrition and costly failures, accelerate the drug discovery process, and develop medicines with greater precision.
