Biotech
Monday, October 9th, 2023 11:03 pm EDT
Key Points
- AstronauTx, a UK biotech company focused on innovative approaches to treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, has successfully raised £48 million (approximately $61 million) in its first major funding round. While their drug candidates are not expected to reach clinical trials for at least three or four years, this funding represents a significant step toward addressing the global health problem of dementia, which affects millions of people worldwide.
- The company was founded in 2019 as a spin-out from University College London, with initial seed funding provided by the £250 million Dementia Discovery Fund, managed by SV Health Investors. This fund, established in partnership with the UK government, industry, and Alzheimer’s Research UK, is dedicated to investing in innovative approaches to combat dementia.
- AstronauTx’s research originally aimed to reset the behavior of astrocytes, brain support cells crucial for neuron health. However, the company has expanded its focus to address dementia symptoms caused by neurodegeneration more broadly. Their approach includes enhancing neural network function during the day and improving the brain’s waste clearance processes at night to reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins like tau and amyloid associated with neurodegeneration. While the first products are not expected on the market until the 2030s, AstronauTx’s treatments are envisioned as oral drugs with potential applications across various neurodegenerative conditions, offering both acute and chronic benefits.
AstronauTx, a UK biotech firm specializing in research on Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, has successfully raised £48 million (approximately $61 million) in its first major funding round. While the company doesn’t anticipate any of its drug candidates to reach clinical trials for at least three or four years, this financing marks a significant step toward addressing the global health crisis posed by dementia, affecting millions of individuals. AstronauTx was originally established in 2019 as a spin-out from University College London, with initial funding from the £250 million Dementia Discovery Fund, managed by SV Health Investors, a collaboration between the UK government, industry, and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The company’s research initially focused on resetting the behavior of astrocytes, support cells in the brain that play a critical role in maintaining healthy neurons. However, AstronauTx has since expanded its efforts to combat dementia symptoms associated with neurodegeneration more broadly. Their approach involves enhancing neural network function during the day and improving the brain’s waste clearance processes at night to reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins like tau and amyloid linked to neurodegeneration.
AstronauTx’s treatments are expected to be administered orally and applicable to various neurodegenerative conditions, offering both acute and chronic benefits. The company plans to select its first lead compound for pre-clinical development within a year, with clinical trials expected to take place in three to four years. Consequently, AstronauTx’s products may not reach the market until the 2030s.
While recent clinical trials have shown promise for antibody-based drugs like donanemab and lecanemab in slowing memory loss and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, these therapies require infusion administration and do not represent a cure for dementia. AstronauTx’s treatments aim to complement existing amyloid-lowering therapies by clearing a broader range of toxins from the brain. The company is one of the Dementia Discovery Fund’s 17 active investments, collectively targeting more than 40 different biological mechanisms across various neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia.
For full original article, please click here: https://www.ft.com/content/c8cc98a0-ef9e-4b44-a3b2-f18a9ed487f4
