New Hope for ALS: Animal Health Giant Deepens Biotech Drug Partnership

OTTAWA, ON – November 26, 2025 – In a move that underscores a uniquely modern approach to drug development, Australian biotech firm Neurizon Therapeutics has deepened its ties with U.S. animal health titan Elanco, appointing a key Elanco executive to its board as an observer. The appointment of Justine Conway, Elanco's Global Head of Business Development, signals a significant strengthening of a partnership aimed at fast-tracking a promising treatment for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no known cure.

The collaboration centers on NUZ-001, Neurizon's lead drug candidate, which has an unusual origin story: its active ingredient, Monepantel, is a well-established deworming agent used in veterinary medicine. By leveraging Elanco's extensive existing data, Neurizon is pursuing a capital-efficient and accelerated path toward bringing a potential new therapy to patients, including the roughly 3,000 Canadians currently living with ALS. Conway's appointment is the latest strategic step in a collaboration that could serve as a new model for tackling complex human diseases.

A Strategic Synergy: From Animal Health to Human Hope

The foundation of this partnership was laid in July 2025, when Neurizon secured an exclusive global license from Elanco for Monepantel. This wasn't merely a transaction; it was a strategic masterstroke that provided Neurizon with a treasure trove of invaluable data. The agreement grants Neurizon access to Elanco's comprehensive package of non-clinical safety studies and manufacturing data, effectively allowing the small biotech to leapfrog years of costly and time-consuming early-stage research.

For any biotech, the journey from lab to clinic is fraught with risk and immense capital expenditure. By repurposing a drug with a long history of use in animals, Neurizon has significantly de-risked its development pathway. The financial terms of the deal—which include a nominal upfront fee, development milestones up to US$9.75 million for the first product, and future sales royalties—demonstrate Elanco's vested interest in NUZ-001's success. It's a "One Health" approach in action, where knowledge from the animal health sector directly fuels innovation in human medicine. This synergy not only conserves resources but, more importantly, accelerates the timeline for getting a potential therapy into the hands of patients who have few, if any, effective options.

The partnership also addresses a critical logistical hurdle: manufacturing. Neurizon and Elanco are finalizing a long-term supply agreement for GMP-compliant Monepantel, ensuring a scalable and reliable source of the drug for late-stage trials and, if successful, global commercialization.

The Power of a Board Observer

Justine Conway's appointment as a Board Observer is far more than a symbolic gesture. While she will not hold voting rights, her presence in Neurizon's boardroom provides a direct line to Elanco's strategic thinking and grants Neurizon access to her formidable expertise. With over two decades of experience in investment banking at firms like Macquarie Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, followed by her current role leading global business development at Elanco, Conway possesses a rare blend of financial acumen and deep industry knowledge.

Her track record in executing M&A transactions, capital raisings, and complex commercial partnerships is precisely what a clinical-stage company like Neurizon needs as it navigates the path toward global market entry. As an observer, she can offer critical insights on corporate strategy, financing, and commercialization without the formal fiduciary duties of a board director, allowing her to act as both a strategic advisor to Neurizon and a steward of Elanco's interests in the partnership.

Neurizon's Non-Executive Chairman, Mr. Sergio Duchini, highlighted the value of this appointment in a recent statement. "Justine's appointment as Board Observer strengthens an already highly productive partnership with Elanco and brings exceptional global expertise into Neurizon's governance framework," he said. "Her deep experience... will be invaluable as we advance towards late-stage development and prepare for entry into the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial."

Accelerating the Path to Patients: The HEALEY ALS Platform Trial

Perhaps the most significant near-term milestone for NUZ-001 is its upcoming entry into the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial, expected to begin this quarter. This is not a standard clinical trial. The HEALEY trial is a world-renowned, multi-arm study designed to test several promising ALS therapies simultaneously against a shared placebo group. This innovative structure, pioneered at Massachusetts General Hospital, dramatically accelerates the evaluation process, reduces trial costs, and minimizes the number of patients who receive a placebo.

Inclusion in the HEALEY trial is a major validation of NUZ-001's scientific promise, a step made possible after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted a clinical hold on the drug's Investigational New Drug (IND) application. For the ALS community, both in Canada and worldwide, the platform trial represents a beacon of hope and a concerted effort to find effective treatments faster. A successful outcome for NUZ-001 in this trial would be a pivotal moment, paving the way for regulatory submissions to health authorities like the FDA and, eventually, Health Canada.

Building the Commercial Foundation

While the science advances, Neurizon is methodically laying the groundwork for commercial success. The company has already initiated commercial-scale manufacturing of NUZ-001 at a full-scale facility, a proactive move that demonstrates its forward-looking strategy. This ensures that if the clinical data is positive, the company will not be caught flat-footed by manufacturing delays when patients are waiting.

Investor sentiment has reflected this steady progress. The initial licensing deal was hailed as a "watershed moment," and the company has successfully raised capital and listed on the U.S. OTCQB market to broaden its investor base. This financial and corporate structuring is essential to support the high costs of late-stage trials and a potential global product launch.

The deepening partnership with Elanco, solidified by Conway's appointment, provides the strategic oversight needed to integrate these clinical, manufacturing, and commercial efforts. As Neurizon prepares to enter one of the world's most important ALS clinical trials, it does so with the backing of a global leader and the expert guidance necessary to navigate the complex journey ahead. The coming months will be a critical test of this innovative model and could mark a new horizon for those impacted by this relentless disease.