A European start-up, co-led by Professor Bart De Strooper, launched today with an initial capital of €60 million. The company aims to advance small molecule therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.

The new start-up, Muna Therapeutics, is pioneering the development of first-in-class small molecule therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative brain diseases and in particular Alzheimer’s disease affect millions of individuals, with increasing global impact as the population ages. Palliative treatments are scarce, and no curative therapies are currently available. The start-up focuses on developing first-in-class therapeutics for these neurodegenerative diseases to address the staggering unmet need experienced by patients around the world.

Muna Therapeutics joins forces between two European start-ups: Belgian K5 Therapeutics (co-founded by Professor Bart De Strooper from VIB-KU Leuven) and Danish Muna. It will be based in Leuven and Copenhagen.

“In all parts of the scientific endeavor, partnership is key,” says Prof. Bart De Strooper. “By combining the innovative strategies of both start-ups, I am convinced we can dramatically accelerate the road to small molecule therapeutics for Alzheimer’s. The field has suffered some setbacks over the past decades, but I am optimistic that with proportionate investments, we will succeed in generating better treatments for patients.”