GeNeuro announced, in collaboration with the Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf, the publication in the leading scientific publication PNAS of results from their joint research on the role of HERV-W in MS. In collaboration with colleagues from Switzerland and France, the Düsseldorf research team led by Prof. Patrick Küry (Department of Neurology) made important progress in understanding the complex disease mechanism by describing a direct functional connection between the release of an endogenous retrovirus and the worsening of neurodegenerative processes. Previous studies by Prof. Patrick Küry's team were able to demonstrate a possible influence of HERV-W on neurodegeneration and on the reduction of the regeneration capacity (via oligodendroglial cells) - two processes that are not addressed by approved drugs to treat MS. The new findings by this team resulted from the use of a novel mouse model that mimics the expression of HERV-W in the central nervous system (CNS). The research has now been able to prove that W-Env is indeed involved in important MS sub-processes in vivo: damage to the white matter (myelin) and a further weakening of the already impaired regeneration capacity.

In addition, the occurrence of aggressive microglial cells was confirmed and, surprisingly, the generation of neurotoxic astrocytes was revealed. This is a widespread glial cell population that is naturally involved in many physiological functions, but which, as a result of the presence of W-Env in the brain, now appears to acquire a primarily neurotoxic character. In addition to MS, GeNeuro is also testing Temelimab in a Phase II clinical trial in Long-COVID patients, as activation of W-Env is measured in the blood of affected patients, which may explain some of the neurological deficits suffered by these patients.