19 November 2018 - - US-based Cadent Therapeutics, a company focused on the development of therapies to improve the lives of patients with movement and cognitive disorders, has raised USD 40m in a series B financing, the company said.

In addition, the company has appointed Bob (Ibrahim) Dagher, M.D., as chief medical officer.

Cognitive and movement disorders affect Ms of people, impacting their ability to think, speak, comprehend and move. Ion channels play a central role in the communication between neurons and in regulating the generation of neural signals.

Cadent Therapeutics is developing novel allosteric modulators of ion channels to improve neuronal firing regularity.

This first-of-its-kind approach has the potential to restore neuronal control and benefit patients with movement and cognitive disorders.

Cadent Therapeutics' lead programme, CAD-1883, an SK (small conductance calcium sensitive potassium channel) positive allosteric modulator, is being investigated for the treatment of essential tremor and spinocerebellar ataxia. SK channels are ion channels which regulate the amount of potassium that enters a cell.

In preclinical disease models, CAD-1883 has demonstrated the ability to regulate neuronal firing, improve motor control and reduce tremor. CAD-1883 is currently in a Phase 1 dose escalation trial and has been well-tolerated at all doses to date.

ET is a neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable shaking or tremor in different parts of the body, including the head, arms, hands, neck and chin.

It is among the most common movement disorders, affecting 10 M people in the United States alone, though there have been no improvements in the standard of care in more than 40 years.

SCA is a genetic, degenerative neurological condition that affects approximately 6,000 people in the United States.

Patients are readily identified through genetic testing and most often carry genetic abnormalities called "poly-Q expansions," similar to those found in patients with Huntington's disease.

The disease is progressive and results in ongoing damage to the cerebellum, the region of the brain that regulates motor control and balance.

Cadent's second programme candidate is in preclinical development to address NMDAr (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) hypofunction in people with schizophrenia.

Proper functioning of NMDAr in the brain is critical for learning, memory and the ability to form new neuronal connections (neuroplasticity).

In people with schizophrenia, NMDAr dysfunction is a significant contributor to their cognitive impairment.

This programme is designed to positively modulate the NMDAr, reversing NMDAr hypofunction and restoring cognitive function. In preclinical studies, treatment has demonstrated the ability to restore auditory novelty detection in a model of NMDAr hypofunction.

In addition to these programs, Cadent has entered into an exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Novartis to develop a medicine that modulates NMDA receptors for the treatment of people with treatment resistant depression.

Dr. Bob Dagher brings to Cadent nearly 20 years of experience as a pharmaceutical executive and drug development physician with a breadth of knowledge and passion for developing novel treatments for neuroscience indications.

Most recently, he served as Senior Medical director for clinical development services in neuroscience at Covance.

Prior to that, he served as vice president and Head of Medical Affairs at Dyax. Previously, he served in roles of increasing responsibility at Sanofi-Genzyme and GlaxoSmithKline.

Throughout his previous tenures, Dr. Dagher oversaw the execution of a number of clinical development programs in several therapeutic areas in neuroscience and rare diseases.

He earned his medical degree through the combined program of Bordeaux and St. Joseph Universities and completed his residency in psychiatry at Boston University and obtained board certification of the American board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

This financing was led by Cowen Healthcare Investments and Atlas Venture, with participation from Qiming Venture Partners, Access Industries, Clal biotechnology Industries and Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.

Cadent Therapeutics is creating breakthrough therapies for the treatment of movement disorders and cognitive impairment.

The company combines target specificity, patient selection, drug design and optimization, and novel quantitative endpoints to create first-in-class molecules to treat movement and cognitive disorders.

Cadent Therapeutics is rapidly advancing its pipeline of positive allosteric modulators to treat spinocerebellar ataxia, essential tremor and schizophrenia.

The company has an exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Novartis to develop a negative allosteric modulator, now in Phase 1 clinical studies for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression.

Investors include Atlas Venture, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Qiming Venture Partners, Access Industries, Clal biotechnology Industries, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research and Slater Technology Fund.