Astrosalva Launches With Unravel as Founding Partner for Rare Brain Diseases
SAN MATEO – October 29, 2026 -- Astrosalva Therapeutics, a privately held preclinical biotech, has launched with Unravel Biosciences as its founding development partner to pursue treatments for Alexander disease and the cerebral form of adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD). Unravel co-founder and CEO Richard Novak, PhD, has joined Astrosalva's board of directors.
Astrosalva widens its focus from Alexander disease to cALD
Both conditions are rare genetic diseases affecting the brain's white matter. In children, cALD can progress rapidly and often leads to total disability within a few years. MedlinePlus puts the prevalence of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, the genetic condition behind cALD, at 1 in 15,000 people worldwide. Ionis Pharmaceuticals estimates that Alexander disease affects about 1 in 1 to 3 million people worldwide.