Technology

TatCN19o is a 30 amino acid peptide that includes two functional domains. The first domain facilitates the ability of the drug to cross the blood brain barrier. The second domain is a Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)-specific inhibitor. CaMKII is a promising and extensively investigated target for post-insult neuroprotection. TatCN19o is protected by four issued US patents.

Current proof-of-concept results include:

Mouse

• tatCN19o is neuroprotective after cardiac arrest and CPR
• tatCN19o works in combination with therapeutic hypothermia standard of care
• Treatment prevented ischemia-induced loss of synaptic plasticity and protected memory function

Pig

• Preliminary efficacy indicates maximal effect achieved at 0.02mg/kg
• Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies demonstrate a half-life of 20min in vivo which is well-suited for clinical use

Safety

• No acute adverse effects in mice at 1,000x therapeutic dose
• No acute adverse effects in pigs at 20x therapeutic dose
• In vitro studies showed no off-target binding

Together, these results demonstrate a safe and robust neuroprotective effect, even when the drug is administered hours after acute neuronal injury. Neurexis is currently pursuing preclinical development of tatCN19o.