Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals Funding for a Gaucher’s Disease drug?

Co-investing in the Series A funding are Latterell Venture Partners of San Francisco, CA, VantagePoint Venture Partners of San Bruno, CA and Adams Street Partners of Chicago, IL. Dr. James Woody of Latterell, Annette Bianchi of VantagePoint and Terry Gould of Adams Street will join the Neuraltus Board of Directors.

Neuraltus was founded in 2005 by Michael McGrath, MD, PhD, Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, Edgar Engleman MD, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine and Ari Azhir, PhD.

“Neuraltus offers a strong pipeline of compounds for the treatment of serious neurological diseases for which there are few if any clinical options,” said Dr. James Woody of Latterell Venture Partners.

“It is a great vote of confidence when investors with so much experience in biotechnology have chosen to devote their resources to Neuraltus,” said Ari Azhir, CEO and co-founder.

Neuraltus has a number of compounds in the pipeline, including a drug to treat ALS (Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), a drug that will reduce dyskinesia (jerky involuntary movement) in patients suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, and a drug for the treatment of Gaucher’s Disease (a Lysosomal Storage Disorder). The Series A funding will enable Neuraltus to conduct and complete phase I and phase II clinical trials for each of these disorders.

“We believe Neuraltus has the potential to develop innovative drugs for these intractable diseases,” said Annette Bianchi of VantagePoint.

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Gaucher’s Disease is the most prevalent Lysosomal Storage Disorder and results from a specific enzyme deficiency in the body, caused by a genetic mutation received from both parents. The disease is progressive, incurable and causes severe disability and death.