Novel compounds for neurodegenerative disorders
Competitive Advantages
- Structurally new easily synthesized compounds with optimal ADME parameters.
- Two selected representative compounds with excellent neuropharmacokinetic profile.
- In vivo PoC of the neuroprotective properties of the two representative compounds.
- A new mechanism of action.
Goal
The group is looking for a license agreement, but other collaborations may be considered.
Patent Application
EP25382806.5
Priority date: 31st of July 2025
Reference
UBTT0530
Contact
Marc Salazar Badia
Email: msalazar@fbg.ub.edu
Novel compounds for neurodegenerative disorders
Executive summary
A multidisciplinary research group with wide experience in medicinal chemistry and in the synthesis of compounds to treat neurological diseases, has designed, synthesized and pharmacologically characterized a set of compounds that show neuroprotective activity.
Introduction
Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and Huntington’s Disease (HD), represent a growing global health crisis. Such conditions significantly reduce quality of life, increase dependency and entail high economic costs, affecting severely to both patients, caregivers, and health systems. As an example, neurodegenerative diseases cost US$655,000 million in medical expenses and economy losses; more specifically, PD total annual costs are US$55,000 million and are expected to rise around 50% in the next 10 years. In Spain, the average cost per AD patient is €42k annually.
Therapeutic options are currently limited and unable to stop or slow neurodegeneration. As populations age exponentially, the need for effective neuroprotective therapies has never been more urgent.
The neurodegenerative disease market is projected to grow from US$ 55,000 million in 2024 to US$99,000 million by 2032. Moreover, the neurodegenerative drugs segment alone reached US$ 36.000 million in 2021 and shall hit US$75,000 million by 2031.
Given the rapidly increasing patient population, the high socioeconomic burden, and the limitations of current treatments, there is an urgent need to develop innovative neuroprotective drugs that can go beyond symptomatic relief and preserve neuronal function for conditions such as AD, PD, and HD.
Description
35 compounds with a 2-imidazoline structure have been synthesized and characterized within a Markush Formula. After a screening cascade (ADME) two compounds were selected and characterized in a neuropharmacokinetic study showing a good BBB penetration and safe parameters. The treatment with these compounds of a murine model of AD, 5xFAD, led to a cognitive improvement and enhanced condition of the diseased animals, approaching the parameters observed in the control animals.
Current stage of development/Next Steps
Next steps are to determine ADME and safety values of a higher number of the set of compounds in order to perform a screening cascade.
Pharmacological studies will follow with the selected compounds to increase data related to neuroprotective activity. Also, MTD studies shall be done.
Neuroprotective studies will be performed in those murine models appropriate to evaluate the use of the selected compounds in AD. Determination of hallmarks of AD.