GeNeuro is a Swiss biotechnology company focused on developing novel antibody therapies for autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. The company targets endogenous retroviral proteins (HERV) that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain neurological conditions.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Focus | Autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases |
| Public/Private | Private |
| Notable partnerships | Servier (past), multiple academic collaborations |
| Program | Indication | Stage | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNK01 | ALS | Preclinical | HERV-K envelope |
| GNK02 | Multiple Sclerosis | Preclinical | HERV-W envelope |
| GNK03 | Type 1 Diabetes | Discovery | HERV-W envelope |
GeNeuro's platform is based on targeting endogenous retroviral elements:
These viral remnants have been implicated in:
Endogenous retroviruses are remnants of ancient viral infections integrated into the human genome. In certain conditions, these dormant viral sequences can become active and produce proteins that may trigger immune responses or directly contribute to disease pathology.
Research has demonstrated elevated HERV-K expression in ALS patients[1:1]:
HERV-W was originally identified as the MS-associated retrovirus (MSRV):
| Company | Approach | Disease Focus | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeNeuro | HERV antibodies | ALS, MS | Preclinical |
| AC Immune | Tau/α-syn antibodies | AD, PD | Phase 2-3 |
| Biogen | Anti-sense oligonucleotides | ALS, AD | Various |
| Ionis | RNA targeting | Multiple | Various |
Endogenous retroviruses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 2021. ↩︎ ↩︎
Human endogenous retroviruses in multiple sclerosis. Nat Rev Neurol. 2022. ↩︎
HERV-W envelope protein in ALS: neurotoxicity and therapeutic target. Acta Neuropathol. 2023. ↩︎ ↩︎