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§ Private Profile · 100 Forge Road Floor 7, Watertown, UNITED STATES 02472
Vigil Neuroscience is a company.
Vigil Neuroscience has raised $180.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at Vigil Neuroscience.
Vigil Neuroscience has raised $180.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Vigil Neuroscience is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics for rare and common neurodegenerative diseases. The company modulates microglia, the brain’s immune cells, to restore healthy function and address underlying causes of neurodegeneration. Its pipeline targets both genetic and acquired forms of these debilitating conditions, leveraging expertise in neuroimmunology.
The company was founded in 2020 by Spyros Papapetropoulos, MD, PhD, with Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch, PhD, JD, serving as President and Chief Executive Officer. This foundational insight recognized microglia dysfunction as a critical driver in neurological disorder progression, inspiring a mission to develop targeted interventions capable of altering disease trajectories.
Vigil Neuroscience’s therapies are aimed at patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions, including those with cognitive and motor impairments. The long-term vision is to bring forward transformative medicines that can significantly improve individuals’ lives by directly addressing the pathological processes of neurodegeneration, moving beyond symptomatic treatment.
Key people at Vigil Neuroscience.
Vigil Neuroscience has raised $180.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Vigil Neuroscience's investors include Vida Ventures, Atlas Venture.
Vigil Neuroscience has raised $180.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $40.0M Other Equity in June 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 2024 | $40M Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
| Aug 1, 2021 | $90M Series B | Vida Ventures | — | Announced |
| Dec 8, 2020 | $50M Series A | Atlas Venture | — | Announced |
Vigil Neuroscience is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for rare and common neurodegenerative diseases by restoring microglia function, the brain's sentinel immune cells.[1][2] Its lead product, VGL101 (iluzanebart), is a monoclonal antibody TREM2 agonist in Phase 2 trials for adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP), a rare fatal disease, while VG-3927, an oral small molecule TREM2 agonist, targets Alzheimer's in Phase 1.[1][5] The company serves patients, caregivers, and families affected by these conditions, addressing microglial dysfunction—a key driver of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration—through innovative small and large molecule drugs.[2][3] With 69 employees, no approved products yet, and a market cap around $137M as of recent data, Vigil shows early clinical momentum via ongoing trials but remains pre-revenue with losses.[1][3]
Vigil Neuroscience was incorporated on June 22, 2020, and is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts.[1][5] It emerged from microglia-focused research, backed by early ties to investors like Atlas Venture, with a mission to pioneer TREM2-targeted therapies for CNS diseases.[4] Pivotal early moments include securing a license agreement with Amgen for TREM2-binding compounds and launching its IPO on January 7, 2022, raising $98M at $14 per share on NASDAQ (VIGL).[1][6] Led by CEO Ivana Magovcevic-Liebisch, the team includes key experts like Chief Scientific Officer Dr. David Gray, emphasizing rapid advancement from startup to clinical-stage operations.[1]
Vigil rides the surging trend of neuroimmunology, where microglia dysfunction is increasingly linked to Alzheimer's and rare leukodystrophies amid aging populations and genetic insights.[1][2][5] Timing aligns with TREM2's validation as a therapeutic target via recent genetic studies, bolstered by market forces like rising neurodegenerative prevalence (e.g., 50M+ Alzheimer's cases globally) and biotech investment in precision CNS drugs.[4] It influences the ecosystem by advancing disease-modifying therapies in a field dominated by symptom management, potentially paving the way for microglia modulation platforms and collaborations with big pharma like Amgen.[1][3]
Vigil's path hinges on Phase 2 ALSP data for VGL101 and Phase 1 readout for VG-3927, with potential expansion to Alzheimer's subpopulations if TREM2 agonism proves safe and efficacious.[1][5] Trends like AI-driven patient stratification and combo immunotherapies could accelerate progress, though funding pressures in a tight biotech market pose risks given its $137M cap and losses.[3][6] Success here could redefine microglia as a cornerstone of neurodegeneration treatment, restoring Vigil's early promise from 2020 inception to transformative impact.[2]
