Precision Neurogenetics for a New Era in Mental Health

Cognigenics is developing the first RNAi-based therapeutics for psychiatry—engineered for precise, reversible modulation of neural circuits.

Our lead candidate in development, COG-301, is a short-interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic, delivered via lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and administered intranasally. COG-301 is designed to selectively downregulate 5-HT2a receptor expression in targeted brain regions implicated in the limbic hyperactivity associated with anxiety and psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis (PDP).

With intended weekly dosing, COG-301, based on promising preclinical results, aims to provide durable, non-sedating symptom relief while preserving cognitive function. The therapy is being developed for self-administration and cold storage at home, offering a potential alternative to current systemic treatments.

WHY IT MATTERS

Small-molecule drugs, a legacy technology developed over a century ago, rely on protein binding and often affect multiple receptor systems indiscriminately, leading to sedation, emotional blunting, and metabolic side effects. At Cognigenics, we are advancing a new era of neuropsychiatric treatment with RNA therapeutics that act upstream at the mRNA level, enabling precise, durable, and cell-specific modulation of neural targets. This approach results in fewer off-target effects, improved tolerability, and non-sedating, next-generation interventions.

COGNIGENICS

Our approach targets a single validated receptor, 5-HT2a, using siRNA-mediated gene silencing that reduces polypharmacy risk.

THERAPEUTIC AND COMMERCIAL CASE RESULTS THAT SET A NEW STANDARD

In our previous preclinical models of anxiety and perceptual dysregulation, COG-201, an shRNA neuromodulator outperformed leading pharmaceutical benchmarks on both behavioral and electrophysiological endpoints. Our therapy demonstrated:

• Improved memory and anxiety outcomes
• Appears to be well tolerated with no observed off-target effects
• Regionally selective silencing of target genes

These results, validated by third-party laboratories, lay the foundation for a first-in-class RNAi therapeutic in psychiatry, backed by a delivery system that is scalable, targeted, and regulatory-track ready.

Developing Therapeutics with Speed and Precision

Cognigenics operates with a lean, translational model. It outsources manufacturing, safety, and toxicology to world-class CROs and CMOs while maintaining scientific leadership in target design, formulation, and delivery. This accelerates timelines and reduces burn without compromising rigor.

We’re not just building drugs. We’re building a platform for scalable, precision psychiatry in the Genetic Age.