Cyclarity Therapeutics

Cyclarity Therapeutics (formerly known as Underdog Pharmaceuticals), is pursuing a mission to treat the underlying causes of age-related disease. The company develops simple and direct interventions targeting toxic forms of cholesterol and is a spin out company of the SENS Research Foundation.

Cyclarity is exploring if the targeted removal of a dangerous oxidated form of cholesterol known as 7-ketocholesterol can have a positive impact on the plaques that form in our arteries. This oxidated form of cholesterol serves no useful purpose in the human body and our macrophages cannot digest it, leading to the formation of bloated foam cells and plaque formation and is the basis of atherosclerosis.

They are creating cyclodextrins to remove the 7-ketocholesterol from the macrophages in our body which cannot break it down and are damaged by it. Cyclodextrins have unusual chemical properties that grant them potent cholesterol binding capabilities. Their lead drug candicate is known as UDP-003.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and if they are successful this could mean an effective way to treat and cure age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure, and macular degeneration.