MapLight Therapeutics utilizes optogenetics, STARmap, and transcriptomics to identify and target specific neural circuits involved in brain disorders. The company aims to develop therapeutics that provide effective treatment options for conditions such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and autism spectrum disorder, addressing the limitations of current therapies.
Funding
$225M 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.
CHFounders
Product
Problem
Current treatment options for brain disorders often provide limited efficacy and are accompanied by significant side effects, failing to address the specific neural circuits involved in these complex conditions. Existing generalized therapeutics often fall short in providing targeted relief for highly specific symptoms.
Solution
MapLight Therapeutics is developing a new class of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders by identifying and targeting the specific neural circuits that misfire in these conditions. The company's discovery platform combines cutting-edge technologies, including optogenetics, STARmap, and transcriptomics, to uncover these malfunctioning circuits. By targeting these circuits, MapLight aims to create innovative therapeutics that offer improved treatment options for multiple CNS conditions, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, autism spectrum disorder and Parkinson's disease. Their approach seeks to move beyond generalized treatments and provide targeted relief with fewer side effects.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes individuals suffering from schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, autism spectrum disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and other CNS disorders, as well as the healthcare professionals who treat them.
Features
- Utilizes optogenetics to control and study neural circuits with high precision.
- Employs STARmap technology for spatially resolved transcriptomics, mapping gene expression within specific brain regions.
- Leverages transcriptomics to identify the genes and molecular pathways dysregulated in brain disorders.
- Focuses on developing therapeutics that target M1 and M4 muscarinic receptors to regulate neural circuits associated with cognition and psychosis.
- Pipeline includes compounds in clinical development for schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and autism spectrum disorder.
- Preclinical pipeline includes compounds for the potential treatment of Parkinson’s disease, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.