The therapeutics start-up 2N Pharma is one of the five new companies in BioInnovation Institute’s Creation House program. The start-up is developing an alternative to today’s treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is building its case on 10 years of research from Aalborg University.
The company is founded by CSO John Nieland and CEO Preben Bruun-Nyzell who have successfully co-founded and taken the vaccine company 2A Pharma to phase one clinical trials. In 2019, they decided to pursue a treatment for ALS based on the research from John Nieland’s group.
2N will be funded with a DKK 10M convertible loan in the Creation House program which will allow them to build a strong data package based on newly designed molecules that are suitable for drug development.
“There are no cures for neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and ALS, and the available treatments are not very effective. Every day in the western world, 55 people are diagnosed with ALS and on average patients only live three years with the disease. It is practically a death sentence, and that is why our mission is to cure ALS”, says Preben Bruun-Nyzell.
The start-up is focused on the strong correlation between dysregulated fatty acid oxidation and the development of several neurological disorders.
“ALS is a complex disease and even though it was discovered more than 140 years ago, there are no real treatment options. We are developing a therapeutic drug to correct the metabolic imbalance that we believe is one of the key drivers of the development of ALS and we hope this will be the breakthrough patients have been waiting for”, says Preben Bruun-Nyzell.
The team decided to apply for Creation House to secure funding for the preclinical development and to gain access to experts and investors.
“As a small company, it can be a struggle to reach the network you need. It opens doors to be a Creation House company and we already see this huge advantage in our dialogues”, says Preben Bruun-Nyzell.
Giles Dudley, Senior Business Developer at BII will be anchoring the start-up and has worked with the team on the milestone plan.
“We are delighted to welcome such an experienced team to the BII. ALS is a devasting disease and there is a desperate need for new treatments. However, focusing on the mitochondrial aspects adds a new and exciting twist to the research. Allowing the company to really differentiate from the growing competition in this space”, says Giles Dudley.
For more info on 2N Pharma check out their website.
Meet the other four start-ups in this batch of Creation House companies:
First bioindustrial start-up enters Creation House
BII welcomes CRISPR start-up in Creation House
Ciana Therapeutics, a Zealand Pharma spin-out enters BII
Therapeutics start-up in osteoporosis funded by BII