Developing oral immune-pathway inhibitors for chronic inflammatory diseases
Chronic inflammatory diseases can cause repeated tissue damage as immune activation persists. Behçet’s disease brings recurrent ulcers and can inflame the eyes, blood vessels and nervous system. Existing treatments do not control symptoms consistently for all patients, leaving a need for more targeted options.
Innunity Therapeutics is developing oral small-molecule medicines that block an early innate immune signaling pathway. Its preclinical INNU-1 programme targets Behçet’s disease, with potential expansion into other chronic inflammatory conditions.
What stands out about Innunity Therapeutics
The founding MS programme generated mouse data on preventing disability by targeting innate immune signaling, described in January 2026.
Co-founder Barna Gal previously co-founded biotechnology venture CompagOs in 2023 and worked there until 2025.
Co-founder Barna Gal practised as an orthopedic resident at Swiss hospitals from 2018 to 2021 before joining Innunity.
Co-founder Thorsten Buch directed the University of Zurich’s Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, researching immune tolerance and autoimmunity.
Innunity is a University of Zurich spin-off developing oral small-molecule therapies for innate-immune-driven inflammatory diseases.
Innunity obtained CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick, whose programme combines a CHF 10,000 grant with CHF 140,000 in convertible loans.
Co-founder Thorsten Buch previously co-founded InCephalo AG in 2021, alongside his University of Zurich research career.
Innunity won the 2026 Biology Explorers Award from Nucleate in partnership with Genentech through Nucleate Switzerland’s Activator Program.
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