SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 25, 2025 – Neuron23® Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases, today announced the publication of a manuscript in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), which explores the role of tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibition in neuroinflammation, microglia and astrocyte regulation, and modulation of various biomarkers of neuroinflammation in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), a widely utilized model of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroinflammation.
The manuscript, entitled “Central TYK2 Inhibition Identifies TYK2 as a Key Neuroimmune Modulator,” is online and can be accessed here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2422172122.
“This research represents a significant advancement in understanding the impact of TYK2 in the central nervous system, which to date has been less thoroughly studied compared to its role in driving peripheral inflammation in immunological diseases,” said Steve Wood, EVP of Drug Discovery at Neuron23. “Given the strong genetic link between TYK2 and diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and the potential for broader implications in other neuroinflammatory disorders, these findings help advance the potential therapeutic application of TYK2 inhibitors that cross the blood-brain barrier.”
The manuscript highlights multiple nonclinical studies utilizing one of Neuron23’s selective, brain-penetrant small molecule TYK2 inhibitors, which demonstrated a significant impact on disease in EAE, a dampening of microglial and astrocytic activation, and a resulting reduction in harmful downstream cytokines, chemokines, and markers of neurodegeneration/de-myelination. The studies were conducted in collaboration with the Tisch Institute.
“For the first time, we have demonstrated the comprehensive role of TYK2 in neuroinflammation, as well as the role of TYK2 inhibition in multiple sclerosis, including potentially progressive forms of the disease, which currently represent the greatest unmet medical need of people with multiple sclerosis,” said Arash Rassoulpour, Ph.D., corresponding author and SVP of Research Operations at Neuron23. “This body of work highlights the ability of TYK2 inhibition to regulate immune cells and mechanisms associated with harmful neuroinflammatory processes. These novel findings reinforce our confidence in the potential of brain-penetrant therapies that selectively inhibit TYK2 for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.”
Neuron23 is currently advancing a brain-penetrant TYK2 inhibitor, NEU-627, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers in the first half of 2025.
About Neuron23
Neuron23 Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases. Neuron23 combines recent advances in human genetics with a state-of-the-art drug discovery and biomarker platform using advanced techniques in machine learning and artificial intelligence to advance therapeutics for devastating diseases. The Company’s focus areas are neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, and systemic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2018, Neuron23 has assembled a world-class team of experts and entrepreneurs located in South San Francisco, CA. For more information, please visit www.neuron23.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).
Contact:
Josie Butler
1AB
[email protected]