KRIYA-382

KRIYA-382 is an investigational, one-time gene therapy being developed for the treatment of focal epilepsy. It is designed to express a chemogenetically-gated ion channel, delivered via direct injection into epileptic foci within the brain. The expressed channel can be selectively activated by varenicline, an orally-administered CNS-penetrant small molecule (originally marketed as Chantix for smoking cessation), which leads to chloride ion passage and reduced neuronal excitation at the target site. This approach aims to reduce seizure frequency and severity by inhibiting neuronal hyperexcitability at epileptic foci. The therapy is engineered for long-term durability with a single administration and includes a mechanism allowing its activity to be regulated or "turned off" by withdrawing varenicline.