Teitur Trophics

Teitur Trophics is a biotechnology firm developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Frontotemporal Dementia. The company was founded in 2020 as a spin-out from Aarhus University by researchers Simon Mølgaard (CEO), Simon Glerup, Anders Dalby (CSO), and Mathias Ollendorff. The founders' research into a specific class of membrane proteins led to the discovery of a novel mechanism to preserve neuronal function, which forms the basis of the company's technology. Mølgaard, with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and his colleagues identified this unique approach, leading them to establish Teitur Trophics to translate the discovery into therapies.

The company's business model is centered on the research and clinical development of its drug candidates. The primary product is a platform of first-in-class cyclic peptides. Its lead drug candidate, TT-P34, is administered subcutaneously and targets key pathological hallmarks of neurodegeneration, including mitochondrial failure, lysosomal dysfunction, and the loss of pro-survival signaling. It works to restore energy homeostasis in brain cells and induce the clearance of toxic protein aggregates, thereby promoting neuronal survival. The company has also secured a Eurostars grant for a project called RE-HEAR, which aims to develop peptide-based therapeutics for sensorineural hearing loss.

Teitur Trophics operates in the biotech market, focusing on developing novel drugs to address significant unmet medical needs. The company secured seed funding from the BioInnovation Institute in 2020. In March 2023, it raised €28 million in a Series A financing round co-led by Sunstone Life Science Ventures and Sound Bioventures, with participation from other investors. This capital is intended to advance TT-P34 into clinical development, including a Phase 1b study, and to progress its pipeline of other peptide compounds.

Keywords: neurodegenerative diseases, cyclic peptides, biotechnology, drug development, Huntington's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, neuronal function, TT-P34, SorCS2 receptor, clinical development, therapeutics, peptide technology, Aarhus University spin-out, mitochondrial failure, lysosomal dysfunction, neuroprotection, hearing loss, RE-HEAR project