The startup develops Low Dose 6-Naltrexol, a proprietary compound aimed at preventing neonatal abstinence syndrome by protecting the developing fetus from opioid exposure. This treatment enables healthcare providers to manage pain in addiction rehabilitation without contributing to opioid dependency.
Funding
$4.1M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) occurs when newborns are exposed to opioids in utero, leading to withdrawal symptoms after birth. Current treatment strategies often involve managing the infant's symptoms after they appear, rather than preventing the condition from developing. There is a need for therapies that can prevent NAS in infants born to mothers undergoing opioid maintenance therapy.
Solution
Aether Therapeutics is developing Low Dose 6-beta-Naltrexol (LD-6BN) as a first-in-class treatment to prevent Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). LD-6BN is designed to selectively block opioid effects in the fetal brain during opioid replacement therapy in pregnancy, preventing the development of NAS without affecting the mother's pain management. Pre-clinical studies suggest that LD-6BN reverses the opioid-dependent state by lowering elevated ligand-free signaling of the µ opioid receptor (MOR), which drives opioid dependence. This approach allows for the treatment and prevention of NAS by working alongside existing maintenance therapies.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes pregnant women undergoing opioid maintenance therapy and their healthcare providers, including addiction specialists, neonatologists, and obstetricians.
Features
- Targets the prevention of NAS during pregnancy.
- Designed to work in conjunction with existing opioid maintenance therapies.
- Selectively blocks opioid effects in the fetal brain.
- Utilizes Low Dose 6-beta-Naltrexol (LD-6BN) to modulate opioid receptor signaling.
- Aims to reverse the opioid-dependent state by lowering elevated ligand-free signaling of the µ opioid receptor (MOR).