AOP Health and VRG Therapeutics Enter Co-Development Partnership for New Immunology Program

VIENNA, Austria and BUDAPEST, Hungary, May 12, 2026 / Biotech Newswire / -- AOP Health, a global pharmaceutical enterprise group focused on integrated therapies for rare diseases and critical care, today announced a strategic partnership with VRG Therapeutics, an AI-driven developer for miniproteins based in Budapest. The collaboration aims to advance a novel Kv1.3 potassium channel inhibitor, a key regulator of immune cell activity, for use in inflammation and immunology (I&I) indications.

The collaboration centers on a next-generation miniprotein candidate discovered using VRG Therapeutics’ AI-MPRO platform, an AI-based system to design and test new miniproteins.  This platform combines artificial intelligence-driven protein design with experimental validation to generate highly selective, target-specific miniproteins.
The partners will focus on generating additional preclinical proof-of-concept data in selected indications to support progression towards first-in-human studies.

Targeting Kv1.3 with a Novel Therapeutic Approach
Kv1.3 is a clinically validated target that plays a critical role in the regulation of pathogenic immune cells in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Selective inhibition of Kv1.3 holds significant promise in modulating immune responses that drive disease while reducing side effects. The partners leverage the exceptional selectivity and precision of the miniprotein modality to overcome the limitations of previous advancements in the Kv1.3 field.

Combining Platform Innovation with Clinical Development Expertise
The partnership brings together VRG Therapeutics’ AI-driven miniprotein discovery capabilities with AOP Health’s 30 years of experience in developing therapies for indications in areas of high unmet medical need.

For AOP Health, the agreement marks an expansion of its external R&D activities into a complex and scientifically active area of immunology. For VRG Therapeutics, the collaboration represents an important validation of its AI-MPRO platform and supports the advancement of its technology toward clinical application.  

“VRG’s AI-MPRO platform has demonstrated the ability to generate highly selective candidates against complex biological targets,” said Martin Steinhart, CEO of AOP Health Group. “We see strong potential in targeting Kv1.3 for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and look forward to advancing this program toward clinical evaluation.”

“With its established development capabilities and strong track record in addressing unmet medical needs, AOP Health is an ideal partner for this program.” commented Zalán Péterfi, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director at VRG Therapeutics. “Advancing together the Kv1.3 program, we intend to expand our partnership to fully exploit the platform potential.”

Sematic Keywords: International Cooperation; Rare Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Potassium Channels; Immunity; Inflammation; Artificial Intelligence; AOP Health; VRG Therapeutics; co-development partnership; immunology program; AI-driven ; developer of miniproteins; Kv1.3 ; potassium channel inhibitor; immune cell activity; inflammatory diseases; inflammation and immunology; I&I indications; AI-MPRO platform; artificial intelligence-driven protein design; target-specific miniproteins; preclinical proof-of-concept; pathogenic immune cells; chronic inflammatory disorders; autoimmune disorders; selective inhibition; immune responses

About AOP Health
AOP Health is a global enterprise group with roots in Austria, where the headquarters of AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH ("AOP Health") is located. Since 1996, the AOP Health Group has been dedicated to developing innovative solutions to address unmet medical needs, particularly in the fields of rare diseases and intensive care medicine. The group has established itself internationally as a pioneer in integrated therapy solutions and operates worldwide through subsidiaries, representations, and a strong network of partners. With the claim "Needs. Science. Trust." the AOP Health Group emphasizes its commitment to research and development, as well as the importance of building relationships with physicians and patient advocacy groups to ensure that the needs of these stakeholders are reflected in all aspects of the company’s actions. (aop-health.com)

About VRG
VRG Therapeutics is an innovative biotechnology company headquartered in Budapest, focused on the discovery and development of next-generation miniprotein therapeutics targeting challenging biological mechanisms. The company leverages its proprietary AI-MPRO platform, which integrates computational protein design, high-throughput screening, and machine learning–driven analytics to generate highly selective and potent drug candidates. With a strong scientific foundation and an experienced team, VRG Therapeutics is advancing a growing pipeline of therapeutic programs with the potential to deliver differentiated best-in-class and first-in-class treatments.

Contact
AOP Health
Mag. Nina Roth
Nina.Roth@aop-health.com
+43-676-3131509
https://www.aop-health.com

Source: Biotech Newswire