MentiNova

MentiNova, Inc. operated as a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a specific focus on developing therapeutics for Parkinson's disease. The company was founded in 2013 by Dr. M. Maral Mouradian, a distinguished figure in the field of neurology who serves as the William Dow Lovett Professor of Neurology and Director of the Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Mouradian's extensive background in neurodegenerative diseases directly informed the company's scientific direction.

The core of MentiNova's strategy was to address a significant complication arising from the standard treatment for Parkinson's disease. While Levodopa (L-Dopa) is a highly effective medication for managing Parkinson's symptoms, its long-term use often leads to a condition called L-Dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), characterized by uncontrollable movements. MentiNova's primary business was the clinical development of a repurposed drug, the analgesic nalbuphine, as an oral medication to mitigate these involuntary movements in patients. The company's business model was centered on achieving regulatory approval and then commercializing this therapeutic for healthcare providers and their patients suffering from this neurodegenerative disorder.

In January 2013, MentiNova secured $500,000 in funding from Foundation Venture Capital Group. This capital was intended to advance the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA and to initiate clinical trials to test the treatment's efficacy, building upon prior in-vivo proof-of-principle data. However, according to industry data, the company ceased operations, with a record date of November 17, 2020.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease, L-Dopa-induced dyskinesia, LID, neurodegenerative disorder, drug development, biotechnology, M. Maral Mouradian, nalbuphine, clinical trials, Foundation Venture Capital Group, therapeutics, oral medication, neurology, repurposed drug, pharmaceutical