Treventis Awarded $2.97M Grant from the U.S. Department of Defense

Funds for Development of Its Anti-Tau Drug Against Neurodegenerative Diseases

BERNVILLE, Pa., Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Treventis Corporation, a privately held biotechnology company, announced today that their proposal to preclinically develop a small molecule anti-tau misfolding drug has been awarded funding totaling $2,977,166 by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), part of the DOD.

Treventis' proposal, "Development of a small molecule anti-misfolding drug for frontotemporal degeneration," was submitted in response to the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program - Technology/Therapeutic Development Award (PRMRP-TTDA), which was solicited for the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate, by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). 

Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is a leading cause of dementia, which in many patients is initiated by an aberrant release of tau protein that would otherwise be bound to microtubules. This overabundance of free tau protein allows for formation of pathogenic oligomers which can lead to synapto and neurotoxicity in FTD. The award aims to complete manufacturing of a Treventis anti- tau small molecule in a manner consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and to collect additional efficacy, pharmacology, and safety data according to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) in ultimate support of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This work will be undertaken by Treventis and a network of selected contract research organizations overseen by Treventis.

"We are pleased and gratified by the DoD's funding and the feedback from their scientific review. Treventis believes that a small molecule targeting tau has significant potential as a therapeutic for protein misfolding diseases such as FTD," said Dr. Christopher Barden, CEO of Treventis. Dr. Donald Weaver, PI on the study and Chief Medical Officer of Treventis added, "This funding will allow Treventis to bring important new hypotheses about targeting protein misfolding disease into a new stage of validation, which brings an anti-tau small molecule that much closer to making a difference in the lives of dementia patients and their caregivers."

TREVENTIS™ Corporation is dedicated to treating and preventing protein misfolding diseases. We utilize a proprietary, patent-pending discovery engine – Common Conformational Morphology (CCM) – to identify druggable active sites in misfolded protein targets. CCM combines unique in silico models with deep expertise in model development (in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo) to enable rational drug design against misfolded protein targets. Our lead program focuses on anti-misfolding small molecules in tauopathy (3R, 4R, familial mutations and mixed) with relevance to Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal degeneration. We have further efforts in oncology and other neurodegenerative diseases (ALS, Parkinson's) that show the wide utility of our technology platform for the design and development of small molecules in protein misfolding disease. For more information, see www.treventis.com

The Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), established in Fiscal Year 1999 (FY99), has supported research across the full range of science and medicine, with an underlying goal of enhancing the health, care, and well-being of military Service members, Veterans, retirees, and their family members. Throughout history, military medical research has pioneered breakthroughs in reconstructive surgery, the use of antibiotics, intensive care, burn care, and kidney dialysis in response to war time needs, benefitting Service members and civilians alike. Medical research supported by the PRMRP to address near-term military needs including military and personal readiness, continues this tradition. The PRMRP is committed to supporting research that has the potential to profoundly impact the development and implementation of medical devices, drugs, and clinical guidance that will enhance the precision and efficacy of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment across a wide range of disciplines. For more information, visit cdmrp.health.mil/prmrp/

This work will be supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate, or the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, in the amount of $2,977,166, through the PRMRP-TTDA under Award No. W81XWH-22-1-0746. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense.

SOURCE TREVENTIS Corporation