We are a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering novel treatments that target the gut-brain axis and modify the course of neurodegenerative disorders. Our research has aided the scientific community in understanding the link between infection and the role of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in immune defense. As a result of repeated insults to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), neural communication between the ENS and the central nervous system (CNS) is progressively impaired. Our work has clarified the relationship between immune defense, the ageing process, and progression of neurodegeneration.
We are now leveraging these years of research to become the first company in the world to develop pharmacologic interventions that repair the ENS and the dysfunctional gut-brain axis in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Our lead compound, ENT-01, displaces membrane-bound alpha-synuclein (αS) aggregates from enteric nerve cells and improves neural signaling between the gut and the brain as demonstrated in animal models of Parkinson’s Disease. In clinical trials involving patients with Parkinson’s Disease, we have shown improvement in non-motor symptoms, such as hallucinations, dementia, sleep/Rem Behavior Disorder and constipation, as well as improvement in motor symptoms. Unexpectedly, we found dose-dependent normalization of circadian rhythm, which is intimately linked to sleep, dementia, and hallucinations. Our second compound, ENT-03, reverses central insulin resistance and is being developed for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Our long-term vision is that these discoveries and our ongoing research will help us understand how to delay the ageing process, prevent neurodegeneration, and eventually prolong the lifespan of patients with these diseases.