BOSTON, October 7, 2026 – Jnana Therapeutics announces that its research collaborator Roche has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial and has dosed the first participant with a small molecule discovered through their research efforts.  

Jnana, an Otsuka Group Company, is a clinically validated biotech leveraging its proprietary RAPID chemoproteomics platform to find small molecule therapeutics for historically undruggable targets across rare and autoimmune diseases. Jnana has two research collaborations with Roche focused on harnessing the RAPID platform to pursue targets spanning immunology, neuroscience, and oncology. 

Over the past several years, the companies have worked together to advance a program that Jnana believes is positioned to be first-in-class against an immunology target class where conventional screening approaches had not been productive. Jnana’s RAPID platform identified chemical starting points against the target and enabled their optimization into a clinical candidate. Overall, this progress demonstrates the capability of the RAPID platform to advance novel small molecule immunology candidates and highlights Jnana’s capability to advance potentially first-in-class immunology programs to the clinic.

“This is exactly the kind of challenge Jnana was built for, taking a difficult to drug immunology target and rapidly advancing a potential first-in-class small molecule,” said George Vratsanos, M.D., President, & CEO of Jnana. “We are proud of this clinical milestone, and we value the strong relationship with Roche that helps advance this novel program to first-in human clinical trials.” The dosing of the first participant marks the next step in the partnership.

In addition to the Roche collaboration, Repinatrabit (JNT-517), an investigational compound originally developed through Jnana’s RAPID platform, is now being studied in a Phase 3 trial for the potential treatment of PKU, sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. Jnana’s RAPID platform has now delivered two potentially first in class programs in the past four years, underscoring the platform’s ability to produce innovative oral medicines and Jnana’s ongoing commitment to patients with high unmet need.

About Jnana Therapeutics

Jnana Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its next-generation RAPID chemoproteomics platform to discover medicines for highly validated, challenging-to-drug targets to treat diseases with high unmet needs. Jnana is focused on developing first- and best-in-class oral therapies to treat a wide range of diseases, including  immune-mediated and rare diseases. 

Repinatrabit (JNT-517), is an investigational compound Jnana advanced through Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical development, targets an allosteric site on the phenylalanine transporter SLC6A19. The ongoing Phase 3 pivotal trial is being conducted and sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. Repinatrabit is a potential first-in-class oral approach for the treatment of PKU, a rare genetic metabolic disease. Located in Boston, Jnana brings together scientific leaders in small molecule drug discovery, and a highly experienced management team. For more information, please visit www.jnanatx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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Announced via LinkedIn and on Jnana’s webpage