MPAN is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no disease-modifying treatment. Our work is focused on changing that. We are developing a two-stage therapeutic strategy designed to address MPAN at more than one level. Rather than targeting only the consequences of the disease, our approach aims to first tackle the underlying biological defect and then support the recovery and protection of affected cells. Stage 1 — Correct the underlying disease mechanism The first stage focuses on restoring the biological function disrupted in MPAN. By targeting the root molecular cause of the disease, we aim to reduce the cellular dysfunction that drives progressive neurodegeneration. Stage 2 — Protect and restore vulnerable cells Correcting the underlying defect may not be enough once cells have already been under stress for many years. The second stage therefore focuses on helping vulnerable cells recover, improving their resilience and creating the conditions needed for lasting therapeutic benefit.
18 months
6
80% Complete
Our research is focused on evaluating an mRNA-based therapeutic strategy for MPAN and investigating whether restoration of C19orf12 expression can rescue disease-associated changes in human neuronal cell models.
Designed and generated five research-stage mRNA candidates intended to restore C19orf12 expression for experimental evaluation.
Established a reproducible human neuronal cell model that mimics key cellular changes associated with C19orf12 deficiency and enables therapeutic testing.
Evaluated the mRNA candidates in our neuronal cell model and demonstrated rescue of disease-associated cellular phenotypes following mRNA treatment.
Investigated whether mRNA treatment could restore neuronal health after disease-associated cellular changes were already present. Our studies demonstrated improvement in impaired neuronal morphology, including recovery of reduced neurite outgrowth.
An additional round of confirmatory experiments is underway to reproduce and strengthen our findings in preparation for scientific publication.
| Project | Name | Subitems | Project Manager | Project Timeline | Milestone Status | Readiness Level | Risk Level | Public Visibility | Investor Visibility | Public summary | Investor Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBIA-MPAN mRNA Therapy | - | - | Planned | In Vitro | - | Yes | No | ||||
| NBIA-MPAN Therapuetic Program | - | - | Planned | Human Evidence | - | No | Yes | ||||
| Target Validation | - | - | Completed | Human Evidence | Low | Yes | Yes | Discovery Milestone Completed and Program Advanced to next stage | Target Validation completed with supportive in Vitro evidence. Next step is mechanism confirmation and advancement toward lead candidate slelection. | ||
| Mechanism of Action | - | - | Completed | Human Evidence | Medium | No | Yes | ||||
| In Vitro Efficacy | - | - | Planned | In Vitro | High | No | Yes | ||||
| BBB Penetration | - | - | Planned | In Vitro | Low | No | Yes |
| Project | Name | Subitems | Project Manager | Project Timeline | Milestone Status | Readiness Level | Risk Level | Public Visibility | Investor Visibility | Public summary | Investor Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Candidate Selection | - | - | In Progress | Preclinical | Medium | - | No | ||||
| Preclinical Toxicology Initiated | - | - | In Progress | Preclinical | - | - | No | ||||
| Biodistribution Study | - | - | Planned | Preclinical | Medium | - | No |
| Project | Name | Subitems | Project Manager | Project Timeline | Milestone Status | Readiness Level | Risk Level | Public Visibility | Investor Visibility | Public summary | Investor Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-IND Meeting Preparation | - | - | Blocked | Preclinical | Medium | - | Yes | ||||
| IND Enabling Studies Intiated | - | - | In Progress | Clinical | Medium | - | Yes |
| Project | Name | Subitems | Project Manager | Project Timeline | Milestone Status | Readiness Level | Risk Level | Public Visibility | Investor Visibility | Public summary | Investor Summary |
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