Bringing Breakthrough Epilepsy Treatments Closer to Patients
Northeastern University has finalized a patent licensing agreement with GRIK Therapeutics, a university spinout founded in 2023. This agreement is part of ongoing efforts to commercialize a new class of drugs for epilepsy and related neurological disorders. This license marks a significant milestone in the path from lab-based discovery to real-world patient impact. It also exemplifies how the university’s Center for Research Innovation (CRI) enables researchers to translate breakthrough research into life-changing therapies.
The agreement provides GRIK Therapeutics with exclusive rights to foundational intellectual property developed by Professor Diomedes Logothetis, PhD, and his team in the Logothetis Lab at Northeastern. The IP covers small-molecule compounds that modulate ion channels in the brain to reduce seizures and restore neuronal balance, offering a potentially transformative approach for patients with drug-resistant forms of epilepsy.
“This license allows us to build from foundational knowledge developed at Northeastern and translate it into clinical-stage assets,” says Andrew Zorn, Northeastern PhD candidate, CEO of GRIK Therapeutics, and co-inventor on the licensed IP.
Targeting Ion Channels to Transform Brain Health
GRIK Therapeutics is developing a new class of small-molecule drugs that modulate ion channels (proteins that control the electrical activity of neurons). These drugs have the potential to transform how epilepsy and other neurological conditions are treated. They work through allosteric modulation, a mechanism that enables greater selectivity and fewer side effects compared to traditional channel blockers.
Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University
The company’s lead program builds on decades of academic research from the lab of Professor Diomedes Logothetis, who has studied the biophysical mechanisms of ion channel gating for over 30 years. Andrew Zorn joined the lab in 2020 to translate that foundational science into scalable, real-world therapies.
Since its founding in early 2023, GRIK has advanced quickly. Its immediate focus is to nominate a clinical development candidate for epilepsy, particularly rare and drug-resistant forms such as Dravet Syndrome. The team focused initially on rare pediatric epilepsies, recognizing both the urgent unmet need and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young patients and their families. GRIK’s compounds have shown promise in restoring neuronal balance and reducing seizure activity in preclinical models, with broader potential to improve tolerability and expand access to care for adult epilepsy patients.
“We expect this technology to redefine how we can drug ion channels, a critical protein class that governs neuronal behavior,” says Zorn. “By unlocking this target class, we can open the door to better treatments for epilepsy, pain, psychiatric conditions, and other neurological disorders.”
To date, GRIK has earned a growing list of competitive, non-dilutive awards—including Golden Ticket awards from Biogen and Servier Pharmaceuticals, and acceptance into the NIH’s Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program, an in-kind partnership valued at over $1 million. The company also participates in the AWS Activate and NVIDIA Inception programs, and recently received a fundable score on a federal SBIR proposal. However, national budget constraints have delayed formal award announcements.
Looking ahead, GRIK is raising a venture-backed funding round, advancing its lead program through IND-enabling studies, and continuing discussions with pharmaceutical partners. “Within 5 to 10 years, we expect to have at least two or three clinical programs, with many more in discovery and development,” says Zorn.
Commercialization in Action
The CRI has been a key partner in this technology’s commercialization journey, from the foundational days in the Logothetis Lab to the work now through GRIK Therapeutics. In 2023, CRI awarded the Logothetis Lab a Spark Fund grant to accelerate the development of the drug candidates. Since then, the CRI team has worked closely with the team to navigate the complexities of launching a company, helping shape the licensing strategy, connecting with entrepreneurial resources, and ensuring the intellectual property could support future growth.
“CRI has clearly focused on being an early support ecosystem for young companies,” says Zorn. “Their team has helped us navigate the complexities of starting a company, managing IP, and developing a business plan, and equipped us with the tools to succeed.”
The license agreement provides GRIK with the clarity and control needed to move toward preclinical development and scale. For CRI, it represents the core of its mission: turning academic innovation into real-world impact.
By bridging the gap between university research and commercial development, this agreement helps ensure that promising discoveries are positioned to reach the patients who need them most.
Learn more about CRI and how they advance research at cri.northeastern.edu.
Written by Elizabeth Creason