Aiming to offer a more effective and well-tolerated alternative to existing chelation therapies, Zurich-based startup metaLead developed a proprietary peptide-based therapeutic platform designed to identify and optimize short novel peptidic therapies targeting metal-related pathologies. In the preclinical phase, metaLead’s candidates have overcome significant limitations of the standards of care, most critically in selectivity and depletion of specific metals, while leaving other metals intact.
Based on this initial preclinical success, metaLead is now focusing on the development of best-in-class treatments for Wilson disease. Wilson disease is a rare genetic disorder that leads to the toxic accumulation of copper in the body, causing severe neurological and hepatic damage. Current treatments are limited, leaving many patients with significant unmet medical needs.
The startup has obtained fresh funding from the UZH Life Sciences Fund (LSF) to advance its therapy. According to Michal Shoshan, metaLead’s founder and CEO, this investment will enable the startup to accelerate our preclinical development toward IND-enabling studies. “We are committed to addressing the urgent need for better treatments for Wilson disease, particularly for patients suffering from neurological manifestations,” he says.
“We are thrilled to support metaLead,” said Michio Painter, Investment Manager for the LSF. “Michal Shoshan and team have demonstrated a unique ability to discover and fine-tune peptides for the treatment of metal-related diseases. Over the last several years, they have built a compelling case that these peptides have best-in-class potential for a wide variety of indications, starting with Wilson disease, where patients desperately need better treatments. We look forward to following their progress to the clinic closely.”
(Press release/RAN)