KII Makes Additional Investment in Neusignal Therapeutics, Developing Alzheimer's Disease Treatments

Keio Innovation Initiative (KII) has made an additional investment in Neusignal Therapeutics, a company developing treatments for Alzheimer's-type dementia. With this capital increase, Neusignal Therapeutics has raised a total of 5.32 billion yen and will proceed with a Phase 1b trial targeting patients with Alzheimer's-type dementia in the United States.

Keio Innovation Initiative (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Kotaro Yamagishi, hereinafter KII) has invested in Neusignal Therapeutics, Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Tatsu Arimoto, hereinafter Neusignal Therapeutics) through a third-party allotment of new shares from a fund managed by our company. Through this third-party allotment and subsidies from the "Project for the Enhancement of the Drug Discovery Venture Ecosystem (AMED)", Neusignal Therapeutics' total fundraising for this round will be approximately 5.32 billion yen.

◆ Launch of clinical trials targeting patients with Alzheimer's-type dementia in the U.S. and strengthening of systems for business partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormalities in brain nerve cells leading to brain atrophy. As the disease progresses, cognitive decline and various behavioral symptoms emerge, eventually requiring care for all aspects of daily life. In recent years, new drugs that suppress disease progression have emerged, but discussions continue regarding treatment management, medical costs, and the appropriateness of patient selection based on risk-benefit profiles.

Neusignal Therapeutics' drug candidate has the potential to be a groundbreaking treatment that can be used at home due to its oral low-molecular formulation and is expected to be effective across a wide range of disease stages. Previous single and multiple ascending dose studies in healthy adults have confirmed high safety, tolerability, and an excellent pharmacokinetic profile. Based on these results, a Phase 1b trial targeting patients with Alzheimer's-type dementia will be conducted in the U.S. this summer. We aim to create diverse impacts, including improving patient treatment satisfaction, extending healthy life expectancy by reducing the burden on caregivers, optimizing medical costs, and reducing economic losses by promoting social participation of caregivers.

Company Overview

Company Name: Neusignal Therapeutics, Inc.

Location: Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Representative: President Tatsu Arimoto

Established: April 2022

Business Activities: Research and development of treatments for dementia and psychiatric disorders, exploration of drug discovery seeds for brain diseases

URL: https://neusignal-tx.com/

◆ About Keio Innovation Initiative (KII)

KII was established in December 2015 primarily to support startups that leverage the research results of Keio University. Since January 2020, with the mission "Until that research, that invention, that innovation changes society," KII has supported the social implementation of research and the resolution of social issues for all academia-originating startups tackling challenges in areas such as digital technology-driven societal innovation and healthcare/wellness, focusing on lead investments from the seed to early stages.

In October 2023, KII established the "KII Fund 3 Impact Fund," the first impact fund by a university VC. This fund aims to realize "a society where all people can achieve healthy and happy lives (a society of lifelong engagement)" and, by making impact investments in academia-originating startups, seeks to create positive and measurable social and environmental impacts alongside financial returns.

<KII Overview>

Company Name: Keio Innovation Initiative, Inc.

Business Activities: Nurturing university-originating technology ventures, operation of venture capital funds

Capital Funds, etc.: 100 million yen (including 50 million yen in capital reserve)

Representative: President Kotaro Yamagishi

URL: https://www.keio-innovation.co.jp

Information contained in this release is current as of the date of announcement.