It’s time to think again about therapies for neurodegenerative disease. At CuraSen, we are targeting neurodegeneration with novel science and treatments so patients can THINK, AGAIN.

CuraSen Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately funded biopharmaceutical company pursuing development of novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as several orphan indications. Millions of patients and their families are burdened by these diseases, and the numbers continue to grow annually with the aging population.

More than 400 clinical trials were conducted with experimental therapies for Alzheimer’s disease between 2002 and 2012, and nearly all have failed; and that trend has continued more recently. The few approved drugs for this disease marginally improve certain symptoms. Treatments for Parkinson’s disease are initially efficacious in treating motor symptoms, while non-motor symptoms (cognition, mood and dysautonomia) remain unmanaged. There are no approved treatments for most orphan indications in neurodegenerative disease. Despite extraordinary investment in research and development of novel treatments for many neurodegenerative diseases, there is no cure or disease-modifying treatment yet identified for any of them.

At CuraSen, we are rethinking the therapeutic approach to treatment of these diseases—and advancing a concept based on restoring a key functionality to a pathway lost early in the degenerating brain. This pathway emanates from the locus coeruleus (LC), site of the earliest pathology seen in these diseases – perhaps the ‘hypocenter’ of neurodegeneration.

We are currently testing two beta2 adrenoceptor (β2-AR) agonist compounds in Phase 2 clinical studies: CST-103 in Parkinson’s disease and CST-2032 in Alzheimer’s disease. Both are co-administered with CST-107 (nadolol), a brain-sparing beta blocker. Our earlier program, CST-3056, an alpha-1A adrenoceptor (α1A-AR) agonist, is in preclinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

CuraSen has assembled an impressive team, deeply experienced in the neuroscience, pharmacology and clinical development core to its approach, as well as top tier investor backing, including New Leaf Venture Partners, Longitude Capital, funds managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC, Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), Alta Partners, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. (JJDC), and Pappas Capital.