Looking Ahead
Groundbreaking pharmaceuticals for treating
CNS-related conditions
Based on the expertise and commitment of our R&D and management teams, Neurim’s in-depth understanding of the Central Nervous System enables us to realize the clinical potential of pharmaceutical formulations that address crucial unmet patient needs in significant markets. Our efforts are reinforced by fruitful collaborations with academic and independent research institutes and contract research organizations.
Unmet need:
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by dream-enactment behaviors that emerge during a loss of REM sleep atonia. RBD can be considered idiopathic or isolated (iRBD) or can occur in the context of other disorders (e.g. traumatic brain injuries, pesticides exposure, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), antidepressants). In patients with iRBD, the characteristic atonia of voluntary muscles in REM sleep is impaired, leading to acting out of dreams and typically occurs in the last 1/3 of sleep. Initially, patients start to vocalize, speak and move complexly. As the disorder progresses, patients may yell, fight or jump out of bed, often injuring themselves or their sleeping partner. The disorder occurs in on 0.5 percent of the population, mostly males older than 50 years.
iRBD is recognized as the most reliable prodromal biomarker of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, or multiple system atrophy (MSA). The vast majority of individuals with iRBD are diagnosed with any type of synucleinopathy within 20 years of onset of iRBD, 41% by 5 years and at 50% at 8 years (Postuma et al 2019). As such, iRBD offers an early window for insights into the pathophysiological process of these neurodegenerative disorders as well as for development of disease-modifying treatment to delay or prevent phenoconversion
Drug Candidate:
Piromelatine is a novel melatonin receptors MT1,MT2 and MT3 agonist and serotonin 5HT-1A and 5HT-1D agonist developed for the treatment of insomnia disorder and for neurodegenerative diseases. In preclinical studies in rodents piromelatine demonstrated neuroprotective, memory enhancing , sleep promoting, and anti-inflammatory TNF-α attenuating capabilities with relevance to neurodegenerative disease risk factors, and symptoms. Accordingly, piromelatine is currently being tested for its ability to reduce iRBD severity and attenuate phenoconversion into Parkinson’s disease.
References: 1. 1. DSM-5 327.42 and ICSD-2; 2. Iranzo et al 2014 PLOS one Volume 9 (2); Postuma et al 2019; 3. Postuma et al., 2022 Neurology, Volume 99 (7)
Unmet need:
Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent health conditions, encompassing 39% and 13% of adults and a similar percentage of children worldwide. They are commonly caused by energy imbalance due to excessive food intake compared to energy consumption over a long period of time. Both overweight and obesity are strongly associated with comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, malignancies, musculoskeletal diseases, chronic kidney disease, and mental disorders, consequently lowering quality of life and increasing mortality.
Drug Candidate:
Neu-4752 is an investigational drug initially developed as a breathing control modulator for the treatment of central and obstructive sleep apnoea. In preclinical studies, it was found that Neu-4752 has a strong impact on weight gain in animals, reducing up to 25% of body weight in 28 days. Weight loss was associated with slower gastric emptying and a consequent decrease in appetite.
References: 1. who.int; 2. Van Baak and Mariman 2025 Current obesity reports 14 (28); 3. White et al., 2023 Obesity 31(2):
Unmet need:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by persistent difficulties in social interactions and communication, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. The past several decades has seen a significant rise in the diagnosis and prevalence of ASD and while the etiology of the disease remains unknown genetic and environmental risk factors seem to play a major role in the onset and development of core symptoms.
Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as a driver in some ASD subtypes. Microglia, resident innate immune cells of the brain, play a critical role in the process of synaptic pruning, the elimination of synapses during synaptic maturation and their activation may be linked to abnormal brain connectivity reported in children with ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Broader systemic inflammation has also been linked to ASD, impacting brain development and function. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) are found in blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), saliva, and brain tissue of ASD patients and are associated with worsening behavior and core symptoms.
Drug candidate:
Neu-6142 is a P2Y12 receptor antagonist. P2Y12 is primarily expressed on platelets and human microglia and elevated under neuropathologic conditions. In ASD mouse models, Neu-6142 was shown to reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNFα, and IL6 in the brain and plasma of affected offspring and alleviate ASD-like behavior. Thus, Neu-6142 can potentially alleviate core symptoms in a subset of ASD patients exhibiting chronic neuroinflammation.
References: 1. who.int; 2. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR); 3. Hughes et al., 2024 Focus 22 (2); 3. Decker 2017 Frontiers in Pediatrics 5 (255); 4. Fuentes-Albero 2024 Pediatric Reports 16
More information will be added soon
More information will be added soon
