About us

Lys Therapeutics, first-in-class biotherapies for neurological diseases

Lys Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing antibody therapies targeting blood-brain barrier dysfunction and neuroinflammation in severe neurological diseases.

Our lead candidate, LYS241, is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to block the pathological interaction between tPA and NMDA receptors from within blood vessels, without needing to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Based in Lyon and Caen, France, we are advancing LYS241 toward clinical evaluation, with a focus on Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy and acute ischemic stroke.

Science

Targeting blood-brain barrier dysfunction to protect the brain

LYS241 is designed to preserve blood-brain barrier integrity and limit damaging neuroinflammation by selectively targeting the pathological tPA–NMDA receptor interaction.

The blood-brain barrier: a therapeutic target in neurological disease

The blood-brain barrier regulates exchanges between the bloodstream and brain tissue. Its disruption can allow inflammatory cells and blood-derived molecules to enter the brain, contributing to neuroinflammation and neuronal injury.

Research underlying our approach has identified the interaction between tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and endothelial NMDA receptors as a mechanism involved in blood-brain barrier and neuronal dysfunction. Targeting this interaction offers a therapeutic rationale across several acute and chronic neurological diseases.

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A neurovascular approach that does not require crossing the blood-brain barrier

LYS241 is a humanized, Fc-silent monoclonal antibody designed to selectively prevent tPA from binding to vascular NMDA receptors, while preserving normal receptor function.

By acting from within blood vessels, LYS241 aims to protect blood-brain barrier integrity and limit downstream inflammatory injury. Preclinical research supports the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway across several neurological disease models.

Human evidence supporting our neurovascular approach:

Human genetic evidence

Human genetic analyses have identified associations between genes in the LYS241-targeted pathway and neurological disease-related traits, providing human genetic support for our therapeutic rationale.

Human tissue evidence

Analyses of human brain tissue have identified molecular signatures shared with our experimental models, supporting the relevance of our research to human disease biology.

Computational evidence

Computational analyses have identified mechanistic links supporting the potential of LYS241 across multiple neurological indications, strengthening the rationale for indication prioritization.

These findings complement our preclinical results and provide a stronger translational foundation for the clinical development of LYS241.

Scientific foundations & publications:

Pipeline-in-a-product

LYS241: one antibody, multiple therapeutic opportunities

Our lead candidate, LYS241, is a humanized, Fc-silent IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting a neurovascular mechanism shared across several neurological diseases.

Our priority indications are Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy and acute ischemic stroke. Preclinical research in multiple sclerosis supports additional development opportunities.

We are preparing a biomarker-rich Phase 1a/1b program designed to assess safety, pharmacokinetics and early biological activity, including in indication-specific patient cohorts. Findings will guide dose selection, indication prioritization and subsequent Phase 2 development.

Initial clinical development is planned with intravenous administration, with subcutaneous delivery envisaged for longer-term treatment.

Meet our team

Management:

Dr. Manuel Blanc, PhD, MBA

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President

Board member

Philippe Dujardin

Co-founder, Chief Financial Officer

Board member

Pr. Denis Vivien, PhD, PU-PH

Head of Science, President of the Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Jordan Guyon, PharmD, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Riad Abes, PhD

Chief Development Officer

Laurie Jullien, PharmD

Head of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance

Team:

Dr. Caroline Ballet, PhD

Program Manager, Non-Clinical Operations

Dr. Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, PhD

Head of Clinical Operations

Dr. Nathalie Delétage, PhD

Senior Program Manager, Preclinical & Clinical R&D

Jessy Dorange, MSc

Technician, Preclinical R&D

Dr. François Fossiez, PhD

Head of CMC

Sylvain Hemery

Technician, Preclinical R&D

Werner Klinger

Head of IT and data protection

Dr. Flavie Lesept, PhD

Program Manager, Preclinical R&D

Dr. Fanny Potzeha, PhD

Project & Lab Manager, Preclinical R&D

Ambre Vivet-Gros

Accounting/HR assistant

Board of Directors:

Michel Vounatsos, MBA

Chairman of the Board, independent member

Anat Naschitz, LLB, MBA

Member of the Board, independent

Philippe Bissay, MBA

Member of the Board, HAC Future representative

Dr. Shibeshih Belachew, MD, PhD

Member of the Board, independent

Scientific Advisory Board:

Neurovascular diseases

President of the SAB: Pr. Denis Vivien (PhD, PU-PH), France, co-inventor of glunomab & expert of tPA, head of the Research Institute “Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandy”

Pr. Diederik Dippel (MD, PhD), the Netherlands, neurologist, co-director of Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

Pr. Joan Montaner (MD, PhD), Spain, neurologist, head of Neurovascular Research at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute

Pr. Richard Macrez (MD, PhD), France, co-inventor of Glunomab, Professor and emergency physician, head of the Emergency Unit at Caen-Normandy Hospital

Dr. Désiré Collen (MD, PhD), Belgium, inventor of rtPA (alteplase) still the most effective drug for thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke

Pr. Yannick Béjot (MD, PhD), France, neurologist, head of Neurology at Dijon-Bourgogne hospital

Via BB@C Institute: Pr. Eng Lo (MD, PhD), USA, neurologist, Professor of Neurology and Radiology, Harvard Medical School, and Research Staff, Massachusetts General Hospital

Via BB@C Institute: Pr. Martin Dichgans (MD, PhD), Germany, neurologist, Director of the Institute of Stroke and Dementia Research (Medical Center of the University of Munich), head of the World Stroke Organization

Neurodegenerative disorders

Pr. Werner Poewe (MD), Austria, Director of the Department of Neurology at Innsbruck Medical University in Innsbruck. Main research interests in the field of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders. Professor Listed among top 1% of ‚highly cited researchers‘ in neuroscience.

Pr. Olivier Rascol (MD, PhD), Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the University Hospital in Toulouse, France and Chair of the Movement Disorder Society-European Section (MDS-ES). Member of the editorial board of Lancet Neurology, Neurology and the European Journal of Neurology.

Pr. Pierre-Olivier Couraud (PhD), France, Head of the Institut Cochin (INSERM, CNRS, University of Paris, France), Chairman of the INSERM Scientific Advisory Board and Vice President of the French multiple sclerosis foundation ARSEP.