Galantos Pharma

About Galantos Pharma

Galantos Pharma GmbH was a German biotechnology company established in 2005 with a clear focus on creating novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's dementia. The company was the brainchild of founders Professor Dr. Alfred Maelicke and Dr. Ulrich Jordis, who leveraged their extensive experience in natural compound synthesis, molecular medicine, and neuro-pharmacology. Dr. Andreas Köpke later joined as Co-Managing Director and Chief Business Officer, bringing years of experience in preclinical licensing and biotech management from his time at major pharmaceutical companies.

The foundation of the company's therapeutic strategy was a discovery by founder Alfred Maelicke concerning galantamine, a plant-derived compound already approved for Alzheimer's treatment. He found that galantamine not only inhibits an enzyme like other drugs in its class but also uniquely enhances the efficacy of neuronal nicotinic receptors. This insight led Galantos Pharma to develop an improved version, a pro-drug named Memogain®. This new formulation was designed to cross the blood-brain barrier more effectively, increasing its concentration where it is needed most. This approach aimed to improve upon the original drug's limitations, which included significant gastrointestinal side effects that restricted dosage.

Galantos Pharma's business model was centered on the preclinical and clinical development of its drug candidates with the ultimate goal of out-licensing or being acquired by a larger pharmaceutical entity. The company successfully navigated several financing rounds, securing funds from investors such as the High-Tech Gruenderfonds (HTGF), KfW Bank, and various Rhineland Palatinate venture capital funds, in addition to receiving support from the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). The primary product, Memogain®, demonstrated higher potency and a better side effect profile in animal models. After an extensive preclinical development program, the assets related to Memogain® were acquired by the Canadian company Neurodyn Inc. in 2013, which was later acquired by Alpha Cognition. This acquisition positioned Memogain® to proceed into Phase I clinical trials.