Vigil Neuroscience Inc. is a microglia-focused therapeutics company that was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company is developing novel microglia-targeted therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Microglia are immune cells of the brain that play a role in clearing away cellular debris and pathogens. However, in neurodegenerative diseases, microglia can become dysfunctional and contribute to disease progression. Vigil Neuroscience is developing therapies that target dysfunctional microglia to restore their function and protect neurons from damage.
Vigil Neuroscience's lead product candidate is called VIGIL-100, which is a small molecule that targets a specific receptor on microglia. VIGIL-100 is currently in preclinical development. The company is also developing other product candidates that target different aspects of microglia biology.