Release Therapeutics secures CHF 3.3 million in seed funding

Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare genetic disorder of the nervous system stemming from a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme, arylsulfatase A (ARSA); it is most common in toddlers aged 12 to 20 months (late infantile MLD). Tragically, this condition is usually diagnosed after symptoms appear, making it too late to treat with available therapies and resulting in most children being unable to survive past the age of five.

Based in Geneva and launched in 2023, Release Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing the first cell macroencapsulation technology designed to deliver potent therapeutic proteins beyond the human blood-brain barrier. Its proprietary technology integrates an implantable macroencapsulation device with an immortalised myoblast cell line capable of producing a broad range of proteins for long-term delivery to the CNS.

The company recently formed a strategic collaboration with the Innovation Unit for Gene and Cell Therapy (GENOV) at the Paris Brain Institute to assess the impact of the Company’s technology on mice presenting symptoms of MLD. The mice were implanted with an analogue of Release’s Myo-P device and received ARSA enzyme replacement therapy over three months. After three months of treatment, the mice showed a reversal of disease progression, suggesting the Company’s technology holds great promise in treating symptomatic MLD. The results were presented by Dr Françoise Piguet, Head of GENOV, Paris Brain Institute, at the 20th WORLD Symposium for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD) in February 2024, with the abstract published in a recent special issue of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism.

The closing of its seed round with private investors allows the company to progress its clinical development programs. Thomas Mehrling, CEO of Release said, "The Seed funding testifies to the significance of our collaboration with the Paris Brain Institute and our findings towards treating MLD. The proceeds will be invested immediately in assessing the impact of our technology in non-human primates. With the results expected in autumn 2024, we plan to launch a Series A raise in the final quarter of this year to submit an IND application and get our technology into the clinic as soon as possible."