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 40th 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.
