Raft Pharmaceuticals

Raft Pharmaceuticals is a startup biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapy targeting lipid rafts in inflamed and activated cells. Raft’s product, recombinant protein RFT-001 regulates cholesterol trafficking in the plasma membrane and normalizes clustered and cholesterol-overloaded lipid raft microdomains – specifically in inflamed glia and macrophages, relevant to the development of chronic pain states. Chronic pain is a major health problem affecting 20% of the population and 40% of older adults, having an extraordinary negative impact on quality of life. The annual cost of chronic pain is $635B. Opiates, NSAIDs, and anticonvulsants relieve pain for short intervals, but are less effective for chronic therapy, have serious side effects and potential for diversion and addiction (opioid epidemics). Animal testing shows the unprecedented efficacy of RFT-001 in models of chemotherapy- and nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain, as well as migraine.