Netherlands-based startup aims to harness ion channel modulation to target degradation of key proteins associated with neurodegeneration.
Dutch biotech startup Mair Therapeutics has launched with a mission to develop new therapies for neurodegenerative disorders – initially focused on Parkinson’s disease. Based in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, the company says it is leveraging advanced computational modeling and drug discovery technologies to accelerate the identification and development of potential treatments.
Boasting “years of industrial expertise” in the modulation of ion channels (proteins that control the flow of ions in and out of cells), Mair aims to harness the technique in its drug development. A core focus of the company’s approach is its work on the lysosomal ion channel TMEM175. This channel is crucial for regulating lysosomal pH, which in turn affects the degradation of protein aggregates – a key feature of Parkinson’s pathology.
Research suggests that TMEM175 plays a significant role in mitochondrial and lysosomal function, as well as in the processing of α-synuclein, a protein closely linked to Parkinson’s disease. A genetic association of TMEM175 with Parkinson’s risk further reinforces its potential as a therapeutic target.
Mair chose Nijmegen as its base due to the region’s strong concentration of expertise in Parkinson’s research. Radboud University Medical Center is home to a dedicated Parkinson’s expertise center, while the company also says it will collaborate with the Kuijpers Lab, part of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior at Radboud University. Led by Dr Marijn Kuijpers, the laboratory investigates the formation, function, and maintenance of synapses, with a particular focus on synaptic organelles.
Mair has secured pre-seed funding from Torrey Pines Investment and Oost NL. US firm Torrey Pines invests in early and development-stage biopharmaceutical innovations in oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders, while Oost NL is focused on strengthening the economy of the Netherlands’ eastern provinces by supporting high-impact, innovation-driven companies.
Speaking about his organization’s investment in Mair, Oost NL’s Björn Schaap, said: “The combination of expertise and entrepreneurship, leveraging the latest techniques in R&D, with a focus on a very exciting target for the initial program makes a strong case for creating an impact in the field of Parkinson’s.”
Mair is also part of the Expert Systems accelerator, an organization specializing in preclinical drug discovery and early development. Expert Systems employs a hybrid artificial intelligence-based platform that spans the full spectrum of preclinical research, facilitating the rapid translation of scientific discoveries into potential therapies.
“Parkinson’s disease represents one of the greatest unmet medical challenges of our time,” said Expert Systems CEO Dr Tudor Oprea. “Combining artificial intelligence with human expertise could help identify disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s.”
