We are developing a pipeline of innovative microglial therapeutics across modalities of biologics and small molecules, which can be developed for multiple neurodegenerative diseases
VG-3927 – an orally-available, small molecule TREM2 agonist
About Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
AD is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other cognitive abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. AD accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases, and the majority of people with AD are aged 65 and older. A progressive disease, AD usually presents with mild memory loss and progresses to include disorientation, loss of initiative or judgment, difficulty with self-care, behavioral problems, and general mental decline. AD affects an estimated 6.2 million patients in the U.S.
Therapeutic Rationale for AD
We believe that the next Alzheimer’s disease-modifying treatments will go beyond targeting single toxic species and boost the brain’s immune system to broadly and effectively counter multiple processes that contribute to AD.
Strong genetic and functional data have established a causal link between TREM2 and AD in humans. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have shown that a specific mutation in a TREM2 variant (R47H) is one of the strongest genetic risk factors for AD, second in magnitude only to that associated with the apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) genotype. Beyond the evidence demonstrating that TREM2 mutations are associated with increased AD risk, recent studies further strengthen its role by showing that increased TREM2 expression is protective against AD.
TREM2 is the key receptor that senses the presence of multiple ligands that indicate trouble – including Aβ and ApoE. When these ligands are elevated, they bind to TREM2, triggering changes in microglia so they can remove the damage or pathologic aggregates and debris. By activating TREM2 with an agonist, we aim to enhance the natural neuroprotective function of microglia in AD, boosting their ability to neutralize multiple causes of AD pathology
Novel Targets and New Indications
We plan to expand our pipeline through internal discovery and development as well as strategic collaborations or alliances with academic organizations or pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies.
