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Northwestern Startup: Akava Therapeutics
Founded: 2019
Northwestern Inventor:
Richard Silverman
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Chemistry and Department of Molecular Biosciences
Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Pharmacology
AKAVA Therapeutics is developing first-in-class small molecule therapeutics that inhibit enzymes, inhibit cancer, and inhibit protein...
Published: 5/13/2026
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Updated: 5/13/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurology, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Antisense Oligonucleotides to Prevent Genetic Mis-Splicing for ALS/FTD Therapeutics
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that correct TDP‑43–dependent mis‑splicing of KCNQ2 thereby reducing neuronal hyperexcitability in ALS/FTD and related TDP‑43 proteinopathies.
INVENTORS
Evangelos Kiskinis*
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology
Jonathan...
Published: 5/12/2026
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Updated: 5/7/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, FTD - Frontotemporal Dementia, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Neurology, Nucleic Acids, Rare diseases, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Northwestern Startup: Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Founded: 1996
Northwestern Inventor:
William Klein
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Neurobiology and Physiology
Grant Krafft
Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry
Acumen Pharmaceuticals develops therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) based upon the discovery and characterization...
Published: 5/7/2026
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Updated: 5/7/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Antibody, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics, Life Sciences > Healthcare Devices, Tools & IT
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GDNF-Mimetic Self-Assembling Supramolecular Nanostructure to Enhance Survival and Function of Dopaminergic Neurons for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
NU 2024-175
SHORT DESCRIPTION
A self-assembling bioactive matrix that presents GDNF-mimetic peptides to support the viability, maturation, and function of dopaminergic neurons in cell replacement therapy for treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.
INVENTORS
Samuel Stupp*
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Department...
Published: 5/11/2026
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Updated: 4/30/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biologic, Biomaterials, Cell delivery, CNS - Central Nervous System, CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident, Nanomaterials, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Neurology, PD - Parkinson's Disease, Scaffold, SCI - Spinal cord injury, TBI - Traumatic brain injury, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics, Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools, Life Sciences > Healthcare Devices, Tools & IT > Neurology
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Inhibitors of MNK Kinase for Targeted Cancer and CNS Therapeutics
NU 2015-098 (NU 2015-098, NU 2018-036, NU 2025-036)
INVENTORS
Gary Schiltz (Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry)*
SHORT DESCRIPTION
MNK kinase inhibitors that reduce cancer cell viability and proliferation and penetrates the brain for potential treatment of glioblastoma and CNS disorders.
BACKGROUND
Leukemia and brain...
Published: 5/13/2026
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Updated: 4/29/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): AD - Alzheimer’s Disease, AML - Acute myeloid leukemia, ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bladder cancer, Brain cancer, Breast cancer, Cancer/Oncology, CNS - Central Nervous System, Colon cancer, Lung cancer, Neurodegenerative disease, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate cancer, Small molecule, Targeted protein degradation, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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STING Agonist 8803 for Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Glioblastoma Treatment
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Chemical compound that opens the blood-brain barrier to enhance delivery of therapeutics for treating glioblastoma.
INVENTORS
Amy Heimberger*
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurological Surgery
* Principal Investigator
NU Tech ID: NU 2025-212
IP...
Published: 5/7/2026
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Updated: 4/27/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): AD - Alzheimer’s Disease, Adjunct therapy, ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Animal Model, Autoimmune disease, Bladder cancer, Brain cancer, Breast cancer, Cancer Treatment, Cancer/Oncology, Cervical cancer, CNS - Central Nervous System, Colon cancer, Drug delivery, Endometrial cancer, Gastric cancer, GBM - Glioblastoma, Head and neck cancer, Immunology, Immunotherapy, Liver cancer, Lung cancer, MS - Multiple Sclerosis, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, PD - Parkinson's Disease, Prostate cancer, Repurposed Drugs, Research tool, Small molecule, Targeted therapy, TBI - Traumatic brain injury, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics, Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Selective PAD2 Inhibitors for Neuroprotection in Traumatic Brain Injury
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Novel PAD2-selective inhibitor platform targeting neuroinflammation to support both acute neuroprotection and long-term functional recovery as a first-in-class treatment of traumatic brain injury.
INVENTORS
Hasan Alam*
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Surgery (Trauma...
Published: 5/12/2026
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Updated: 4/27/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): CNS - Central Nervous System, CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident, Neurodegenerative disease, Neuroinflammation, Neurologic disease, Neurology, Small molecule, Targeted therapy, TBI - Traumatic brain injury, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Biomolecular Condensates as Protein Degradation Tools for Intracellular Targets
SHORT DESCRIPTION
A targeted-protein degradation platform for intracellular targets, addressing resistant oncogenic and neurodegenerative targets.
INVENTORS
Shana Kelley*
Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Chemistry
Yi Li
* Principal Investigator
NU Tech ID: NU 2025-050
IP...
Published: 5/7/2026
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Updated: 4/27/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): AD - Alzheimer’s Disease, Biologic, Biomolecular condensates, Cancer/Oncology, Drug delivery, Nanoparticle, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Neurology, PD - Parkinson's Disease, Platform technology, Targeted protein degradation, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics, Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Methods to Treat Neurodegenerative Disorders by Reducing Nuclear Aggregates and Modulating Adenosine‑to‑Inosine RNA Editing
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Novel disease‑modifying approach that dissolves toxic nuclear RNA–protein aggregates and restores synaptic function in neurodegenerative diseases by inhibiting adenosine‑to‑inosine (A‑to‑I) RNA editing and modulating ADAR enzymes.
INVENTORS
Joseph Mazzulli*
Northwestern University Feinberg School...
Published: 5/13/2026
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Updated: 4/27/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Lewy bodies, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurology, PD - Parkinson's Disease, RNA - Ribonucleic Acid, Small molecule, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Mitigating aberrant Cdk5 Activation in SMA – A Novel Therapeutic Strategy Targeting Mitochondrial Function
SHORT DESCRIPTION
A targeted strategy that mitigates aberrant Cdk5 activity to restore mitochondrial function and reduce motor neuron degeneration in SMA models.
INVENTORS
Yongchao Ma*
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
* Principal Investigator
NU Tech...
Published: 5/7/2026
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Updated: 4/27/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Adjunct therapy, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurologic disease, Neurology, Rare diseases, SMA - Spinal muscular atrophy, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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