Iluminos will commercialise compounds with the potential to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
University of Arizona (UA) has established Iluminos Therapeutics, a spinout that will develop compounds to tackle neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Iluminos was founded with assistance from UA’s tech transfer office, Tech Launch Arizona, to commercialise small molecular-based therapies that inhibit the overproduction of an enzyme called DYRK1A, which has been linked to neurodegenerative conditions.
The approach, which has shown promise tackling Alzheimer’s in pre-clinical trials, builds on research led by Christopher Hulme, professor of medicinal chemistry in UA’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.
Hulme was helped by Arthur Shaw, a PhD research fellow at the time, and Travis Dunckley, assistant research professor at the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, a partnership between Arizona State University and non-profit health system Banner Health.
Dunckley said: “Iluminos Therapeutics will seek to expand upon the significant pre-clinical findings to advance our novel compound series to clinical trials in Alzheimer’s patients, with the goal of halting or slowing the progression of the disease.”
Hulme said: “This is an excellent example of scientists working within a strong team-oriented and milestone-driven paradigm across institutions to address big problems. It is the culmination of a sustained seven-year effort.”
