Arvinas Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of PROTAC (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera) protein degraders for the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Founded in 2013 as a spinout from Yale University, Arvinas created the proprietary PROTAC platform that harnesses the body's own ubiquitin-proteasome system to selectively eliminate disease-causing proteins[1].
The company has established the most advanced pipeline of brain-penetrant PROTACs in the industry, with multiple programs targeting proteins central to Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease including LRRK2, tau, and alpha-synuclein. In 2025, Arvinas achieved a major milestone by demonstrating that its LRRK2 degrader ARV-102 can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and degrade its target in humans — the first PROTAC to achieve this feat[2].
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New Haven, Connecticut, USA |
| Founded | 2013 (Yale University spinout) |
| IPO | September 2018 (NASDAQ: ARVN) |
| Market Cap | ~$1.5 billion (2025) |
| Employees | ~300 |
| CEO | John Houston, PhD |
PROTACs are heterobifunctional molecules consisting of three components: (1) a ligand that binds the target protein, (2) a ligand that recruits an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and (3) a chemical linker connecting the two. By bringing the target protein into proximity with an E3 ligase, PROTACs trigger polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of the target[3].
Key advantages over traditional small molecule inhibitors:
Arvinas has developed proprietary brain-penetrant PROTAC technology that enables oral delivery of degraders to the central nervous system. This platform has been validated in non-human primates where Arvinas demonstrated:
Arvinas has established the most advanced neurodegeneration PROTAC pipeline in the industry:
| Program | Target | Indication | Stage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARV-102 | LRRK2 | Parkinson's Disease / PSP | Phase 1 | Active |
| ARV-102 | LRRK2 | Parkinson's Disease | Phase 1b (planned 2026) | Planning |
| Tau PROTAC | Tau | Alzheimer's Disease | Discovery | Research |
| alpha-synuclein PROTAC | alpha-synuclein | Parkinson's Disease | Discovery | Research |
| mHTT PROTAC | mutant Huntingtin | Huntington's Disease | Discovery | Research |
ARV-102 is the most clinically advanced PROTAC for neurodegenerative disease and represents a first-in-class degrader targeting LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2), the most common genetic cause of familial Parkinson's disease.
Target Rationale:
Preclinical Results:
Phase 1 Clinical Results (2025):
Development Timeline:
Arvinas is developing PROTACs targeting tau protein for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Tau pathology correlates strongly with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's, and current approaches (antibodies, aggregation inhibitors) have shown limited efficacy.
Approach:
Targeting alpha-synuclein for Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. Alpha-synuclein aggregation into Lewy bodies is the hallmark pathology of PD, and current antibody approaches have struggled to achieve sufficient target engagement.
Approach:
Arvinas has established strategic partnerships to advance its neurodegeneration programs:
| Partner | Programs | Deal Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | Multiple CNS PROTACs | Research collaboration, option to acquire |
| Eli Lilly | Tau, alpha-synuclein | Development and commercialization rights |
| Bayer | Undisclosed CNS | Research collaboration |
Arvinas entered a strategic partnership with Pfizer in 2022 to develop multiple CNS-targeted PROTACs. Pfizer received options to acquire programs following certain development milestones. The collaboration leverages Pfizer's neuroscience expertise and global commercialization capabilities.
Eli Lilly partnered with Arvinas for the tau and alpha-synuclein PROTAC programs. Lilly brings expertise in Alzheimer's disease drug development and a established neuroscience commercial infrastructure.
| Year | Revenue | Cash & Equivalents | Key Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $95M | $350M | ARV-102 Phase 1 ongoing |
| 2023 | $75M | $400M | Lilly partnership initiated |
| 2022 | $60M | $450M | Pfizer partnership initiated |
Key Financial Events:
Arvinas benefits from a distinguished scientific advisory board including pioneers in targeted protein degradation:
Arvinas competes with other companies developing protein degradation approaches for neurodegeneration:
| Company | Approach | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Arvinas | Brain-penetrant PROTACs | Phase 1 (ARV-102) |
| Bristol Myers Squibb | Cereblon modulators | Discovery |
| Kymera Therapeutics | STAT3 degrader | Phase 1 (oncology) |
| Monte Rosa Therapeutics | Molecular glue degraders | Discovery |
| Biogen | ASO, antibodies | Various |
First-in-Human Data for ARV-102 Demonstrating Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration and LRRK2 Degradation (2025). ↩︎ ↩︎
Bekes M, Na D, Deshaies RJ. PROTAC targeted protein degraders: the past is prologue. Nature Chemical Biology. 2022. ↩︎
Positive Phase 1 Clinical Data for ARV-102 at 2025 International Congress of Parkinson's Disease (2025). ↩︎