Collaboration with Imperial College London and City St George’s, University of London combines £2.1 million in MRC funding with support from AriBio
SEONGNAM-SI, SOUTH KOREA, November 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — AriBio Co., Ltd., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced its collaboration with Imperial College London on MiroDose, an investigator-initiated experimental medicine study investigating AR1001 (mirodenafil) in cerebral small vessel disease. The Imperial-sponsored study involves researchers at Imperial College London and City St George’s, University of London, and is supported by approximately £2.1 million awarded to Imperial College London by the United Kingdom’s Medical Research Council (MRC).
As the study’s industry partner, AriBio will provide AR1001 and matched placebo, conduct pharmacokinetic analyses measuring mirodenafil and key metabolites in participant samples and contribute drug development expertise. These contributions bring together AriBio’s drug-development capabilities and the academic team’s expertise in cerebrovascular disease to investigate the relationship between drug exposure and physiological responses in the brain.
Cerebral small vessel disease damages the small blood vessels supplying the brain and is a major contributor to stroke and dementia. MiroDose will investigate how inhibition of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) affects cerebral blood flow and vascular function, generating mechanistic evidence to inform the potential future development of AR1001 for vascular cognitive impairment and dementia.
The study is led by Professor Alastair Webb, Clinical Professor of Cerebrovascular Disease at Imperial College London, who heads Imperial’s Small Vessel Disease Research Group and serves as Divisional Director of Research for Medicine and Integrated Care at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The collaboration includes Professor Atticus Hainsworth, Professor of Cerebrovascular Disease at City St George’s, University of London, an internationally recognized expert in cerebral small vessel disease and its contribution to vascular dementia.
Professor Webb said:
“This collaboration between Imperial College and AriBio provides a fantastic opportunity to understand the role of endothelial dysfunction and PDE5 inhibition in cerebral small vessel disease. As such, it is a vital step on the pathway to developing the first treatments for the commonest cause of vascular dementia, and bring about real change for its sufferers.”
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study plans to enroll 82 participants with MRI-confirmed cerebral small vessel disease. Researchers will use advanced MRI, physiological assessments, blood biomarkers and cognitive testing to investigate dose-related effects on cerebral blood flow, cerebrovascular reactivity and blood-brain barrier function. AriBio’s pharmacokinetic analyses will help characterize drug exposure alongside these measurements.
The collaboration extends AriBio’s research on AR1001 into vascular mechanisms relevant to cognitive impairment, complementing its development program in Alzheimer’s disease. Findings from MiroDose could help guide dose selection and the design of subsequent studies evaluating potential clinical benefit.
Jai Jun Choung, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AriBio, said:
“Through this collaboration, AriBio is contributing both AR1001 and the pharmacokinetic expertise needed to connect drug exposure with changes in cerebrovascular function. Working with Professor Webb, Professor Hainsworth and their teams gives us an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of AR1001’s potential in vascular contributions to cognitive decline. This research complements our Alzheimer’s disease program and could help guide future development for patients with cerebral small vessel disease, where substantial unmet need remains.”
MiroDose is one of five experimental medicine studies supported by a broader £16.5 million MRC investment in dementia research. The initiative brings together academic researchers, industry partners, patients and caregivers to help investigate disease mechanisms.
About AR1001
AR1001 (mirodenafil) is an investigational oral small molecule developed by AriBio for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. A brain-penetrant PDE5 inhibitor, AR1001 modulates nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO–cGMP) signaling, a pathway involved in vascular and neuronal function. AriBio’s global Phase 3 POLARIS-AD trial of AR1001 in early Alzheimer’s disease enrolled 1,535 participants across 13 countries. AR1001’s safety and efficacy for Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral small vessel disease and other dementia indications have not been established.
About AriBio
AriBio Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in South Korea, with U.S. clinical operations in San Diego, California. The company is advancing a pipeline of oral investigational therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Through its clinical development programs and academic collaborations, AriBio is investigating complementary mechanisms of neurodegeneration, neuronal dysfunction and cerebrovascular impairment.
For additional information related to MiroDose, including patient enrollment inquiries, please contact: mirodose@imperial.ac.uk
Tanya Xi, Exec. Dir., Corp. Dev. & Med. Affairs
AriBio Co., Ltd.
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