EIP Pharma

EIP Pharma, founded in 2012 by John Alam, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that has since become a wholly-owned subsidiary of CervoMed, effective August 2023, following a merger with Diffusion Pharmaceuticals. Initially established as a private entity based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company has focused on developing therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, particularly neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Alam, who serves as CEO, brought extensive experience from leadership roles at Sanofi, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Biogen, where his work centered on diseases of aging, including Alzheimer's, and the development of novel medicines for conditions like HIV and multiple sclerosis. His long-standing interest in inflammation and the innate immune system, particularly the p38 MAPK pathway, has been a driving force behind the company's scientific direction.

The company's core business revolves around the clinical development of its lead product candidate, neflamapimod. This is an orally administered small molecule drug designed to penetrate the brain and inhibit the p38 MAP kinase alpha enzyme. The inhibition of this enzyme is believed to counteract inflammation-induced synaptic toxicity, addressing the reversible synaptic dysfunction that is a key aspect of neurodegenerative diseases. EIP Pharma acquired the license for neflamapimod (formerly VX-745) from Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2014, where it was originally developed for rheumatoid arthritis. EIP repurposed it for CNS disorders, initiating a Phase 2a trial in Alzheimer's disease in 2015. The primary market for neflamapimod is patients with neurodegenerative diseases, with a lead indication for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), the second most common neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's. The drug has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of DLB.

The merger with Diffusion Pharmaceuticals provided EIP Pharma with a Nasdaq listing under the ticker CRVO and secured capital to advance neflamapimod through a crucial Phase 2b clinical trial, known as RewinD-LB. This trial aims to confirm the drug's efficacy in improving dementia severity. The combined company, now named CervoMed, continues to be led by Dr. Alam and is focused on bringing neflamapimod to market as a potential first-in-class, disease-modifying treatment for DLB. The company's funding history includes a Series A round in 2017, a $20.5 million Series B in 2018 led by Access Industries, and a significant $21 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to support the Phase 2b study.

Keywords: EIP Pharma, CervoMed, neflamapimod, John Alam, neurodegenerative diseases, dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer's disease, p38 kinase inhibitor, clinical-stage biotechnology, synaptic dysfunction, CNS therapeutics, Diffusion Pharmaceuticals merger, Vertex Pharmaceuticals license, clinical trials, brain penetrant drug, oral stress kinase inhibitor, RewinD-LB trial, National Institute on Aging grant, Access Industries, neuroinflammation