German biotechnology company Probiodrug has completed a Series B financing round of more than $54 million. Probiodrug is employing a novel approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease based on the inhibition of an enzyme in the brain that seems to be active at the onset of the detrimental cascade of events that eventually lead to the formation of plaques and the death of neurons.
This enzyme, glutaminyl cyclase, under certain circumstances modifies a peptide abundant in the brain and stemming from degradation of bigger proteins. This chemical alteration renders the peptide neurotoxic and leads to subsequent plaque formation. Probiodrug’s therapeutic approach is based on inhibiting this particular action of the enzyme to prevent formation of the toxic version of the peptide.
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