Biotech Showcase Interviews
GeNeuro homes in on ancestral viral genes to treat autoimmune diseases
Focusing on an idea that many autoimmune diseases are caused by proteins from viral genes that are now embedded in human DNA, Swiss biotech GeNeuro is using the approach to tackle diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Indeed, 8% of the human genome comes from genes left there by infections that affected our ancestors. Speaking at the 2018 Biotech Showcase, GeNeuro co-founder and CEO Jesús Martin-Garcia explained to Scrip how the company is advancing therapeutic candidates designed to neutralize the causal factors encoded by human endogenous retroviruses that lead to autoimmune diseases. The company’s lead programs focusing multiple sclerosis, and partnered with Servier, and type 1 diabetes are currently in Phase II trials.