Rekover Therapeutics

Rekover Therapeutics is a New Zealand-based biopharmaceutical company established in 2020 to advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, with an initial focus on multiple sclerosis (MS). The company was spun out of Victoria University of Wellington to commercialize promising pre-clinical research conducted by its founders.

The company was co-founded by Professor Anne La Flamme and Associate Professor Bronwyn Kivell from the university's School of Biological Sciences, along with Dr. Janette Dixon, who serves as CEO. Their research, in collaboration with Professor Thomas Prisinzano at the University of Kentucky, identified a set of compounds with the potential to repair nerve damage, a significant departure from existing MS therapies that primarily slow disease progression. This work forms the scientific foundation of the company, aiming to address the substantial unmet need for treatments that can reverse disability and restore function for the 2.5 million people affected by MS worldwide.

Rekover Therapeutics is centered on the development and commercialization of repurposed pharmaceutical products for neurological repair. Its primary candidate is nalfurafine, a drug with a known safety profile from its previous use in treating a non-MS condition. Pre-clinical studies in animal models have shown that this compound can drive remyelination—the restoration of the protective myelin sheath around nerves—and reverse paralysis. This approach of repurposing an existing drug could potentially shorten the commercialization timeline, offering a faster path to improving outcomes for patients.

The company's business model is focused on advancing its lead compound through clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy in humans. Rekover has received investment from the New Zealand Innovation Booster, a partnership between Booster Financial Services and Wellington UniVentures, the university's commercialization arm. Following the successful completion of clinical trials, the company's strategy is to license its compounds to large pharmaceutical companies that have the global scale and resources required for final clinical development and market launch.

Keywords: Rekover Therapeutics, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, drug repurposing, remyelination, nalfurafine, nerve repair, CNS disorders, clinical trials, biopharmaceutical, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington UniVentures, preclinical research, myelin sheath, disability reversal, neurological repair, therapeutic drug development, chronic neurological disorder, spin-out company, pharmaceutical licensing