With $76 million in financing, San Diego-based Autobahn Therapeutics is hitting the ground with a goal of developing regenerative medicines aimed at treating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS).

This morning, the company officially launched with a Series B funding round backed by some of the biggest names in the life sciences, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Biogen and Pfizer. The company’s scientific approach is focused on the role that thyroid hormone plays in the production of myelin, the protective sheath that forms around nerves. The degeneration of myelin is associated with many CNS disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Autobahn is developing small molecule, thyroid hormone receptor beta agonists designed to stimulate remyelination and address the progressive nature of MS and other diseases that result from demyelination. The company’s work is built on research conducted by Thomas Scanlan, a professor of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry at Oregon Health & Science University. Article link.