Disarm Therapeutics

The company's creation was a collaborative effort involving the scientific founders, the venture capital firm Atlas Venture, and Atlas Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Dr. Rajesh Devraj and Dr. Raul Krauss. Dr. Devraj, who served as Chief Scientific Officer, brought extensive experience in drug discovery and development from his time at major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and several biotech startups. The company secured $30 million in a Series A financing round in September 2017, with lead investor Atlas Venture joined by Lightstone Ventures and AbbVie Ventures.

Disarm Therapeutics' core business was the discovery and preclinical development of potent, small-molecule SARM1 inhibitors. These therapeutic candidates were engineered to directly block the SARM1 protein's enzymatic activity, which depletes the essential metabolite NAD+ and triggers axonal breakdown. By preventing axon loss, these drugs aimed to offer a disease-modifying treatment for patients suffering from neurological disorders where no effective therapies existed. The company's business model was centered on advancing these proprietary SARM1 inhibitors through preclinical stages to demonstrate their potential for treating diseases of the central, ocular, and peripheral nervous systems.

In October 2020, recognizing the potential of Disarm's approach, Eli Lilly and Company acquired the privately-held firm. The acquisition involved an upfront payment of $135 million, with the possibility of up to an additional $1.225 billion in future payments contingent on reaching development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. This strategic exit provided the necessary resources and infrastructure to accelerate the development of Disarm's SARM1 inhibitors into potential medicines for patients.