Mabylon receives research funding of 1.3 million Swiss francs

Mabylon can add funds from three funding pots totaling a good CHF 1.3 million to its two antibody programs. The Schlieren-based company has announced that the research funds awarded by Target ALS, the global foundation for ALS research, and the North American ALS Association are earmarked for the further development of TDP-43 intrabodies derived from human cells. They are intended to restore normal TDP-43 function in ALS patients by reducing pathological TDP-43 aggregates in diseased neurons.

"TDP-43 aggregates are a hallmark of ALS and have emerged as a major target for the treatment of both inherited and sporadic forms of the disease," explains Kuldip Dave, senior vice president for research at the ALS Association. "Getting promising treatments out of the lab and into clinical trials as quickly as possible is key to making ALS a disease that can be endured until we can cure it."

The Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse is granting Mabylon 800,000 Swiss francs for the further development of its MY012 program. It targets the inflammosome of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, i.e. the multiprotein complex of the innate immune system that is responsible for activating inflammatory reactions.

"These grants clearly confirm the quality of our research and the enormous therapeutic potential of our approach," Mabylon CEO Alcide Barberis is quoted as saying. "The grants will allow us to accelerate these programs and supplement our planned Series B fundraising."

Mabylon is a spin-off from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich, based in the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich. ce/mm