heqIX Therapeutics

<div class="infobox infobox-company">
<div class="infobox-header">heqIX Therapeutics</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Headquarters:</strong> Boston, Massachusetts, USA</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Founded:</strong> 2018</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Focus:</strong> Heat Shock Protein Modulation</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Status:</strong> Private (Series B)</div>
</div>

Overview

<div class="infobox infobox-company">
<div class="infobox-header">heqIX Therapeutics</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Headquarters:</strong> Boston, Massachusetts, USA</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Founded:</strong> 2018</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Focus:</strong> Heat Shock Protein Modulation</div>
<div class="infobox-row"><strong>Status:</strong> Private (Series B)</div>
</div>

Overview

heqIX Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing heat shock protein (Hsp) modulators for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, with an initial focus on Parkinson's disease. The company's name combines "heat shock" (Hsp) with the Roman numeral IX (nine), reflecting its focus on Hsp90 and the company's mission to protect neurons through protein homeostasis enhancement["@heqix_corp"].

The company was founded based on research from Harvard Medical School showing that Hsp90 inhibition can protect neurons from alpha-synuclein toxicity by upregulating the Hsp70 chaperone system and promoting clearance of toxic aggregates.

Scientific Rationale

Heat Shock Proteins in Neurodegeneration

Heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones that play critical roles in protein folding, quality control, and clearance. In neurodegenerative diseases, the proteostasis network becomes overwhelmed, leading to accumulation of misfolded proteins like [alpha-synuclein](/proteins/alpha-synuclein) in Parkinson's disease[@hsp90_parkinsons].

Key findings:

• Hsp90 is overactive in PD brains — maintains toxic protein aggregates
• Hsp90 inhibition releases Hsp70 to clear aggregates[@blanda2015]
• Hsp70 induction is neuroprotective in multiple PD models
• Combined Hsp90/Hsp70 modulation provides superior protection[@fujita2018]

Therapeutic Strategy

heqIX develops:

Pipeline

| Drug | Mechanism | Phase | Indication |
|------|-----------|-------|------------|
| HQX-101 | Hsp90 inhibitor | Phase 1 | Parkinson's disease |
| HQX-201 | Hsp70 inducer | Preclinical | Parkinson's disease |
| HQX-301 | Dual Hsp90/70 modulator | Discovery | Multiple System Atrophy |

HQX-101 (Lead Program)

• Mechanism: Brain-penetrant Hsp90 inhibitor
• Target: Hsp90 in neurons
• Route: Oral
• Status: Phase 1 clinical trial (completed)
• Indication: Early-stage Parkinson's disease

• Safe and well-tolerated at all doses
• Target engagement demonstrated (Hsp70 induction in CSF)
• Phase 2 planned for 2025

HQX-201 (Second Program)

• Mechanism: Direct Hsp70 transcriptional activator
• Target: HSF1 (heat shock factor 1) activation
• Status: Preclinical
• Indication: Parkinson's disease with dementia

Technology Platform

Hsp90 Inhibitor Design

heqIX's Hsp90 inhibitors are designed for:

Biomarker Strategy

The company uses CSF biomarkers to track target engagement:

• Hsp70 levels in cerebrospinal fluid
• [Alpha-synuclein](/proteins/alpha-synuclein) oligomer reduction
• Neurofilament light chain (NfL) as progression marker

Competitive Landscape

| Company | Target | Approach | Status |
|---------|--------|----------|--------|
| heqIX Therapeutics | Hsp90/Hsp70 | Small molecule | Phase 1 |
| Samumed (retired) | Hsp90 | Small molecule | Discontinued |
| Prana Biotechnology | Hsp90 | Small molecule | Discontinued |
| HSF1 Activators | Hsp70 | Gene therapy | Discovery |

Funding

• Seed: $5M (2018)
• Series A: $12M (2020) — led by Oxford Biosciences
• Series B: $35M (2023) — led by RA Capital
• Total raised: $52M

Research Partnerships

heqIX has established partnerships with:

• Michael J. Fox Foundation: PD clinical validation
• University of Pennsylvania: Hsp70 biology research
• Massachusetts General Hospital: Biomarker development

Scientific Advisory Board

• Dr. Alberto Espay (University of Cincinnati) — Clinical PD
• Dr. Pamela McLean (Mayo Clinic) — Alpha-synuclein biology
• Dr. Jeffrey Conn (Vanderbilt University) — Drug discovery

References

See Also

• [Heat Shock Protein Pathway](/mechanisms/hsp70-hsp90-chaperone-pathway-parkinsons)
• [Hsp90 Inhibitors](/therapeutics/hsp90-inhibitors-parkinsons)
• [Protein Homeostasis](/mechanisms/proteostasis-network)
• [Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
• [Alpha-Synuclein Pathology](/mechanisms/alpha-synuclein-pathology)