BNC Korea secures exclusive rights for Danish firm’s Alzheimer's and Parkinson's treatment in 5 Asian countries

BNC Korea said it secured exclusive distribution rights in five Asian countries for Danish biotech firm Kariya's KP405 and KP404, both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's drug candidates that can cross the blood-brain barrier.

The agreement, which encompasses Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, follows BNC Korea's strategic equity investment in Kariya on Tuesday.

The candidates leverage a dual-action agent that combines GLP-1 and GIP incretin effects, which are already dominant in the diabetes and obesity markets.

Known for stimulating insulin secretion and enhancing growth factors that promote cell regeneration, these agents can also boost synaptic plasticity crucial for memory formation and enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration, increasing cellular energy utilization, BNC Korea said. 

“Notably, this dual-action agent reduces inflammation by curbing the accumulation of amyloid-beta and alpha-synuclein, proteins directly linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases,” BNC Korea said. “However, the challenge with current GLP-1 agents has been their poor penetration through the blood-brain barrier, which is essential for treating neurological conditions.”

Kariya’s new compounds, KP405 and KP404, have shown significantly improved penetration rates, potentially overcoming this hurdle, it added.

The compounds have completed phase 1 clinical trials and have begun recruiting participants for further studies this quarter, aiming to complete trials by next year. Kariya is also looking to license out these candidates to a global pharmaceutical company.