MetaShape Pharma is a Swiss biotechnology company focused on developing therapies that address age-related diseases by restoring nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels in the body. NAD+ is a vital coenzyme involved in cellular metabolism, DNA repair, and immune responses, but its levels decline with age, leading to various health issues.
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The Solution
NAD+ is a vital coenzyme required by all living cells to perform essential functions, supporting cellular metabolism, DNA repair, and immune responses. However, the natural decline in NAD+ levels as we age impairs these processes, leading to cellular exhaustion and dysfunction, and is linked to a host of age-related conditions.
The following image from MetaShape Pharma’s official website illustrates the hallmarks of aging involving NAD+ decline:
MetaShape Pharma’s lead compound is named MS 001. It is a selective and potent inhibitor of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), an enzyme that limits the body’s capacity to synthesize NAD+.
By inhibiting PNP, MS 001 disrupts pathways that degrade key NAD+ precursors, while also preserving the availability of essential cofactors like phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP) that enhance the body’s ability to regenerate NAD+. This mechanism is designed to deliver sustained NAD+ elevation in critical tissues such as the brain, muscles, and blood, which are often the first to suffer from cellular exhaustion.
The company is initially targeting well-defined age-related conditions, such as high cholesterol, the prevention of cognitive decline, and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
A clinical trial in LDL cholesterol reduction is planned for as early as next year, although MetaShape’s longer-term vision is to address the wider complexities of aging itself.
The Company
MetaShape Pharma is based in Basel, Switzerland, and was founded in 2023 by CEO Thomas Mehrling and CSO Shanta Bantia.
In terms of funding the company has raised $1.11 million in to date, and it appears that specific details about the companies or investors are not publicly disclosed. MetaShape is currently in the process of raising a Series A round to take the company through its initial Phase 1 trials for their pipeline candidate.
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