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MYRIAGON develops effective and non-addictive analgesics for neuropathic pain. 

MYRIAGON develops effective, non-addictive, oral analgesics for neuropathic pain. We have discovered a novel analgesic for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). CIPN is a debilitating side effect of chemotherapy and symptoms include numbness, tingling, burning sensations, and unbearable pain. CIPN is the major cause for dose-reduction and discontinuation of chemotherapy, depriving patients of a crucial treatment option. To make matters worse, ~30% of patients that received chemotherapy experience chronic or even permanent CIPN symptoms. Currently, there are no approved drugs for CIPN and patients reside to off-label use of various drug classes. Unfortunately, these treatment options provide only limited pain relief and cause serious side effects such as dizziness, fatigue, and physical dependence. At MYRIAGON we aim to resolve this critical unmet medical need for safe and effective analgesics. 

We have developed and patented unique peripherally restricted monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitors. MAGL is the principal enzyme responsible for the degradation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). 2-AG is a signaling lipid activating the cannabinoid receptors, which are involved in pain perception and inflammation. Therefore, MAGL inhibition leads to analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, harnessing a natural pain relief mechanism. In animal models for CIPN, oral administration of our lead compound induces full pain relief without the presence of psychotropic side effects, tolerance or dependence. The natural pain relief mechanism allows us to take our MAGL inhibitors beyond CIPN to other types of (neuropathic) pain. To support this, we have demonstrated efficacy in four other models of pain and in an inflammatory liver injury model. Therefore, we believe MYRIAGON’s MAGL inhibitor has the potential to become an effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory broad-spectrum analgesic. 

MYRIAGON is a spin-out of Leiden University and Oncode Institute. The team consists of dr. Mirjam Huizenga (CEO and co-founder), Wouter Driever (CSO and co-founder) and dr. Alexander Turkin (Business Developer), backed up by prof.dr. Mario van der Stelt (KOL in endocannabinoid research and medicinal chemistry) and prof.dr. Andrea Hohmann (KOL in preclinical pain models).