Biotech Company in France Secures €19 Million through IPO for Treatment of Narcolepsy and Alzheimer's Disease
Theranexus, a biotech company, begins trading on Euronext Paris today, following a successful €19.6M IPO. The company is set to expand its pipeline with new R&D projects, focusing on the development of more effective therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as narcolepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and neuropathic pain.
The company's innovative approach, known as polytherapy, involves combining two drugs into a single molecule or treatment to simultaneously target multiple pathological pathways involved in these diseases. This strategy aims to achieve greater efficacy and improved patient outcomes compared to previous single-target treatments, which have largely failed due to the complex, multifactorial nature of CNS diseases.
Theranexus' strategy is to overcome the issue of decreased response to drugs in the CNS by developing drug combinations that target neurons and modulate astrocyte activity. Astrocytes, glial cells that establish cross-talk with neurons, are a key focus of Theranexus' technology. This approach is not common in the CNS field, making Theranexus potentially unique in its ability to target both neurons and glial cells.
The company's lead candidate, THN102, is a combination of modafinil and flecainide intended to treat narcolepsy. A Phase II study for THN102 is already enrolling narcoleptic patients, with results expected in 2018. The second Phase II trial with THN102 will be launched at the end of this year to treat excessive sleepiness in Parkinson's.
In a Phase Ib trial with sleep-deprived healthy volunteers, THN102 has shown improved efficacy compared to modafinil alone. The money raised from the IPO will support the development of three new therapies for narcolepsy, sleepiness in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease, and neuropathic pain.
Theranexus also plans to collaborate with a strong partner for its Alzheimer's candidate due to the field's high rate of failure. After obtaining proof-of-concept data for each of its three drug candidates, Theranexus plans to look for pharma partners to take the development forward.
The market for narcolepsy is estimated to be $2Bn, providing a significant opportunity for Theranexus to deliver the full value of its technology in a short timeframe. The company is confident that its approach, which targets both neurons and glial cells, can be an answer to efficacy problems in the CNS field.
- Theranexus, a biotech company recently listed on Euronext Paris, focuses on the development of more effective therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Alzheimer's, Narcolepsy, Parkinson’s, and neuropathic pain, particularly through an innovative strategy called polytherapy, which involves combining two drugs into a single molecule.
- The company's lead candidate, THN102, is a combination of modafinil and flecainide, and is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of narcolepsy, with additional trials planned for excessive sleepiness in Parkinson's by the end of this year.
- Theranexus' unique approach targets not only neurons, but also astrocytes, glial cells that establish cross-talk with neurons, setting it apart in the CNS field. The money raised from the IPO will support the development of three new therapies for narcolepsy, sleepiness in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease, and neuropathic pain.
- Due to the high rate of failure in the Alzheimer's field, Theranexus plans to collaborate with a strong partner for its Alzheimer's candidate once it has obtained proof-of-concept data.
- The market for narcolepsy, estimated at $2Bn, presents a significant opportunity for Theranexus to deliver the full value of its technology in a short timeframe, as the company is confident that its approach can address the efficacy problems commonly encountered in the CNS field and other neurological disorders.
