Handl Therapeutics

Handl Therapeutics is an emerging biotechnology company specializing in the development of gene therapy to treat neurodegenerative diseases. This company is focused on the development of new proprietary technologies based on the use of adeno-associated viruses (AAV) and their clinical development.

Handl Therapeutics has established with Cima Universidad de Navarra, through the Foundation for Applied Medical Research, exclusive collaboration and licensing agreements on its research results for the treatment of Parkinson's disease that will allow the development of a gene therapy vector capable of attenuating and stopping the cell death of dopamine-producing brain neurons, a characteristic process of the aforementioned disease. 

Under the leadership of Dr. José Luis Lanciego, senior researcher in Parkinson's disease and co-promoter of this entrepreneurial initiative, Cima researchers, together with Handl Therapeutics, are undertaking the preclinical development of this technology with the aim of reaching the first clinical trials in patients affected by this neurodegenerative disease in early 2023.

It was incorporated on September 30, 2019 in Leuven (Belgium) with capital from an international investment group. Operating with a highly collaborative approach, the company is based on the integration of knowledge and expertise from a strong international network of global research and biotech centers. Thus, it brings together the cutting-edge scientific and technological advances of Cima Universidad de Navarra, the University of Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Santiago de Chile (Chile). 

On November 12, 2020, the multinational biopharmaceutical company UCB announced the acquisition of Handl Therapeutics. With this move, UCB seeks to strengthen its activities in gene therapy for neurological and immunological treatments. UCB is a company focused on the research and development of targeted treatments for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Epilepsy and Crohn's disease.