Pioneering science &
a visionary approach
O U R V I S I O N
Our mission is to get therapeutics to patients who currently have no effective treatment, so we’re meticulously working on aspects like optimized delivery to ensure efficacy. We deviate from traditional models of drug development by solely focusing on performing science that gives our drugs the best chance to succeed in clinical trials. We believe that while false positives may be costly, false negatives are moral failures when there are no other treatments available.
Why the CNS fails to regenerate nerves
Until a few decades ago, the irreversible nature of damaged brain and spinal cord tissue was thought to be due to an inability to mount a regenerative response. We now know that these nerves can repair themselves, but that ability is suppressed by the local environment after damage. As axons and their myelin sheaths break down, the remnants aren’t cleared efficiently and can persist for many weeks. Molecules within this debris confuse neurons, which results in shutting down any regenerative response.
One of the ways in which these molecules blunt regeneration is by hyperactivating a molecule in neurons and myelinating cells known as RhoA. While RhoA activity is important for many cellular functions, hyperactivation that results after CNS damage overwhelms cells and prevents any coordinated regrowth or movement.
Targeting LRP1 for regeneration & remyelination
Hyperactivation of RhoA in neurons is mediated by LRP1. Our lead molecule, NOVO-118, blocks LRP1 and can reverse the pathological hyperactivation of RhoA that occurs after SCI. Importantly, this only affects hyperactivation, which allows cells to otherwise function normally and reduces the risk of unwanted toxicity. Cells that are responsible for repairing myelin on damaged nerves are also impaired by molecules present at the site of damage. Blocking LRP1 in those cells can restore remyelination potential as well.
Novoron’s first-in-class pipeline of therapeutics
Novoron’s core technology allows us to dissect and precisely target specific components of individual receptors in an unprecedented fashion.
Our growing pipeline consists of various indication and receptor-specific compounds tailored to the ideal route of administration. Our lead preclinical candidate—NOVO-118—demonstrates robust active transport across the blood-brain barrier by interacting with one of the receptors (or bouncers) that mediates transport into the brain, making it compatible with intravenous delivery to the CNS.
