San Francisco, California, September 3, 2026
Thryv Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing selective SGK1 inhibitors, has entered into an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing patent and know-how license agreement with Spain’s Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), and Fundación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (FUAM). The agreement, effective July 1, 2026, provides Thryv with rights across all fields of use and territories, including the right to sublicense. The collaboration adds a new chemical scaffold for SGK1 inhibition to Thryv’s portfolio and expands the company’s drug-development strategy toward neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, while its existing cardiovascular programs continue to advance.
New SGK1 Chemical Scaffold Expands Drug Development
The newly licensed technology represents a second, structurally distinct chemical scaffold for selective SGK1 inhibition. Thryv said its existing clinical SGK1 inhibitor candidates were developed through independent medicinal chemistry using a single previously in-licensed scaffold, supported by a library of more than 500 synthesized analogs and a granted selection patent estate. In contrast, the CSIC/UAM series originated from a separate discovery program and provides a distinct chemotype and independent starting point for further drug development. According to the company, the additional scaffold could allow researchers to optimize compounds according to specific therapeutic requirements, including continuing development of existing molecules for cardiac and cardiometabolic diseases while exploring compounds designed to achieve central nervous system penetration.
SGK1 Program Targets Neurodegenerative Disease
The expansion into neurodegenerative disease is supported by research linking SGK1 biology to several pathways associated with neurological disorders. Published research cited by the company has implicated activated SGK1 in tau phosphorylation, the processing of misfolded and aggregating proteins, neuroinflammatory signaling, and FOXO- and NRF2-dependent cellular stress responses. These mechanisms have potential relevance to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and related tauopathies, creating a scientific rationale for investigating selective SGK1 inhibition in neurological disease. The licensed invention was developed through collaborative research involving medicinal chemistry, cardiovascular pharmacology, neurobiology, and vascular pharmacology groups at CSIC and UAM, including teams led by Dr. Ana Martínez, Dr. Carmen Gil, Dr. Eduardo Oliver Pérez, Dr. Isabel Lastres-Becker, and Dr. Ana Briones Alonso.
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Thryv Advances Cardiovascular Pipeline Alongside CNS Strategy
Thryv plans to develop the newly licensed SGK1 inhibitor series in parallel with its cardiovascular programs. Initial characterization of the new compounds is expected to begin immediately, with the company targeting nomination of its first development candidate in 2027. Thryv’s lead asset, THRV-1268, is an orally available and selective SGK1 inhibitor currently being evaluated in the WAVE II study in patients with Long QT Syndrome Type 2. The company also plans to advance ASPIRE-HF, a Phase 2a study evaluating THRV-1268 in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The new CSIC/UAM license therefore broadens the company’s SGK1 platform while allowing its existing cardiac development programs to continue. The agreement represents a significant expansion of Thryv’s drug discovery and development platform, providing an additional chemical foundation for investigating SGK1 across different therapeutic areas. By combining a structurally distinct inhibitor series with expertise in neurobiology and medicinal chemistry, Thryv aims to establish a development pathway for potential therapies targeting major neurodegenerative diseases. However, the newly licensed compounds remain at an early development stage, and the company’s current objective is to characterize the series and identify a development candidate rather than claim established therapeutic efficacy.
Source: Thryv Therapeutics press release
