Signum Biosciences


Signum Biosciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company in Monmouth Junction, NJ. The company has developed drugs and dietary supplements targeted at dermatological conditions and neurodegenerative disorders. Signum agreed in 2019 to stop making certain claims about its EHT supplement, and to stop allowing its multi-level marketing partner firm Neora to make such claims.

History

Signum was founded in 2003 based on research done in the lab of Jeffry B. Stock, a professor at Princeton University, on compounds that can modulate protein phosphatase 2. Gregory Stock, Stock's brother, served as the first CEO.
In 2008 Signum partnered with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co. of Japan to commercialize Signum's product, n-acetyl-s-farnsylcysteine ; that product was launched in Japan in 2010.
In 2011 Signum partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to develop drugs screened against PP2 for neurodegenerative diseases.
In 2011 Signum spun out a dermatology company, originally called Argyle Therapeutics but after 2012 called Signum Dermalogix. In 2012 Argyle licensed one of its compounds, SIG990, to Brickell Biotech for development as a drug to treat rosacea.

Neora (Nerium) partnership and FTC injunction

In 2015 Signum partnered with Neora, LLC to launch a dietary supplement called eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide. EHT is derived from coffee and inhibits demethylation of the enzyme protein phosphatase 2. EHT has shown neuroprotective effects in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease and a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.
In October 2019 the Federal Trade Commission won a permanent injunction against Signum BioSciences, Signum Nutralogix, and affiliated companies including Neora. The injunction prohibits claims or representations of EHT's efficacy in treating or mitigating Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or brain injury including CTE and concussion, unless those claims are backed up by randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical testing.