What we do

At veriNOS Pharmaceuticals, we focus on the clinical development of a drug that specifically inhibits a defined cascade that is relevant and common in different disease settings.

The activation of iNOS with subsequent excessive production of cell damaging radicals and massive excitotoxic glutamate increase is of crucial importance in all of our indications of interest.

Our goal of using Ronopterin is to selectively inhibit upregulated iNOS to reduce radicals and excitotoxic glutamate levels.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Ronopterin – treatment to reduce traumatic brain damage and improve patient outcomes

To date, we are still lacking a specific drug to treat the acute and long-term devastating consequences of traumatic brain injury.

Ronopterin addresses this unmet medical need as iNOS inhibition

reduces the severity and progression of damage during the acute phase
decreases the aggressiveness of the basic treatment during the critical care phase
improves neurologic recovery over time
increases quality of life over time

Worldwide approx. 60 million patients suffer from TBI annually.

TBI is a major cause of death and disability mainly affecting young males, mostly victims of motor vehicle accidents. Among the elderly, falls are amongst the most frequent causes.

More than 50% of the patients have to endure the long-term debilitating psychological and physiological consequences.

The direct medical costs for the treatment of patients suffering from a TBI are tremendous.
The most significant economic burden results from indirect costs such as loss of productivity, reduction of quality of life, disability, and the necessity for relatives to provide – sometimes life-long – care for a patient.
The global costs of care and consequences of TBI amount to an estimated 400 billion USD.

The high economic burden and undermet medical need account for a market potential of 1 bn USD annually by 2030.

Neuro-Oncology

Ronopterin – treatment to reduce peritumoral brain edema and improve patient outcomes

Adequate pharmacologic control of peritumoral edema in glioblastoma and brain metastases is still insufficient and is limited by side effects in more than 50% of the patients.

Ronopterin offers a potential solution to address the unmet medical need as Ronopterin decreases edema formation by inhibiting the cell damaging effects of radicals and glutamate.

Mechanistically similar edema formation as in TBI
synthetic steroids used in routine therapy
increase iNOS expression and radical formation
fail to reduce brain edema
worsen outcome
tumor growth and brain metastasis formation
increase glutamate release in brain with decreased glutamate uptake
Aiming to reduce brain edema and edema-induced increase in intracranial pressure as a superior alternative to steroids and to decrease side effects of steroids

Worldwide approx. 300’000 patients suffer from glioblastoma and approx. 500’000 patients experience brain metastases annually.

Incidences in glioblastoma and brain metastases are projected to increase by 10% within the next 10 years.

Current treatments show insufficient efficacy with high incidence of declining neurocognitive function, personality changes, mood disturbances, depression, reduced quality of life.

In more than 50% of patient’s synthetic steroids fail to reduce peritumoral brain edema which may promote recurrence of aggravated edema formation and tumor growth.

The high economic burden and undermet medical need account for a market potential of 5 bn USD annually by 2030.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Ronopterin – treatment to reduce retinal edema and improve patient outcomes

Adequate, pharmacologic control of retinal edema progression in diabetes is still insufficient. More than 50% of patients suffer from impairing side effects and require repetitive injections into the eye.

Ronopterin offers a potential solution to address the unmet medical need as Ronopterin decreases uncontrolled cell activation and edema formation by inhibiting the release of the cell damaging radicals and glutamate.

Mechanistically similar edema formation as in TBI
Ronopterin inhibits retinal spreading depression, preventing progressive tissue injury
Glutamate induces progressive retinal damage
Retinal inflammation, hypoxia, ischemia increase iNOS expression and radical formation
Aiming to reduce retinal edema as a superior alternative to steroids and to decrease side effects of steroids

Worldwide approx. 220 million patients suffer from diabetic retinopathy with 45 million patients experiencing impaired vision.

Incidence in diabetic retinopathy is projected to increase by 50% within the next 10 years.

Current treatments are insufficient with high incidence of recurrent edema and progressive loss in vision requiring repetitive injections in the eye.

In more than 50% of patient’s synthetic steroids fail to reduce retinal edema which may promote recurrence of aggravated edema formation and vessel proliferation.

The high economic burden and undermet medical need account for a market potential of 17 bn USD annually by 2030.