Proof of concept, first-in-class long-acting microglia-targeted GLP-1R agonist
Accumulating evidence suggests that the most common neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, share neuroinflammation mediated by microglia and astrocytes in common in the progression of diseases. Beta-amyloid fibrils in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) induce the activation of microglia and increase the expression of microglia glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) as do α-synuclein fibrils in Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Hence, microglia-targeted GLP-1R agonists would be potential therapeutic options for AD and PD. Actually, NYL01 (a long-acting GLP-1R agonist, subcutaneous administration) selectively blocked microglial activation and reactive astrocyte conversion through binding up-regulated GLP-1R in microglia, consequently resulting in improved memory and spatial learning in animal models.
NYL01 was developed by D&D Pharmatech, a clinical-stage global biotechnology startup headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, aiming at excavating revolutionary medicines along with its disease-specific subsidiary companies.
On October 20th, D&D Pharmatech announced that it had closed a $51 million pre-IPO Series C round led by a private equity firm Praxis Capital Partners and joined by DS Asset Management, Kudos Ventures, and Korea Investment & Securities. This new round of financing builds upon the $137 million in Series B financing in 2019 and the $16.6 million in Series A financing in 2018 the company secured respectively.
With this funding, the company will advance potential disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative disorders and continue to support the ongoing global phase 2 clinical trials of NLY01 in AD (518 patients) and PD (240 patients). The company is planning its IPO (initial public offering) in South Korea next year.
