GliaPharm, an innovative EPFL spin-off, has secured a USD 4.2 million investment from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) to advance its leading Alzheimer's disease treatment through crucial preclinical studies.
Founded in 2017, GliaPharm specializes in developing treatments for neurological diseases by focusing on glial cell function. Their in-house drug discovery platform, GliaX, has produced a pipeline of compounds designed to improve brain energy metabolism, a critical factor in neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer’s disease, characterized by reduced glucose uptake in the brain or hypometabolism, currently lacks specific treatments to address this metabolic decline. GliaPharm’s lead candidate, GP-119, is an orally active small molecule targeting this issue. The USD 4.2 million investment will support the progression of GP-119 through Investigational New Drug (IND)/Clinical Trial Application (CTA)-enabling studies, essential for gaining approval for clinical testing by regulatory agencies like the FDA in the US and the EMA in Europe.
Dr. Howard Fillit, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at the ADDF, has highlighted the significance of this development: “Developing new drugs that regulate brain metabolism in ageing bodies, like GliaPharm’s GP-119, is a promising approach for treating Alzheimer’s and related dementias. We hope to develop an arsenal of drugs that can stop the disease in its tracks through combination therapy and precision medicine.”
Ambroise Magistretti, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of GliaPharm, expressed gratitude for the ADDF’s investment, recognizing it as a strong endorsement of their Alzheimer’s program. Dr. Charles Finsterwald, GliaPharm’s CSO and Co-Founder, added that the ADDF’s support is crucial for advancing their lead program through preclinical regulatory studies, setting the stage for subsequent clinical trials. He also noted the ADDF’s strategy to support novel and potentially complementary therapeutic solutions for Alzheimer’s disease, including GliaPharm’s approach to tackle brain hypometabolism.
