VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VTGN) (NASDAQ:VTGN) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel medicines to treat neuropsychiatric and other central nervous system disorders. Headquartered in South San Francisco, California, VistaGen leverages its proprietary human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technologies to create human-based models that improve the predictive accuracy of drug discovery and development. The company’s mission is to deliver safer and more effective therapies for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and neuropathic pain by de-risking early-stage candidates through its in vitro platforms.
At the heart of VistaGen’s discovery engine is the Human Clinical Trials in a Dish™ platform, which combines hPSC-derived heart, liver and neuronal cells with advanced screening assays to evaluate drug safety and efficacy. This approach has supported the advancement of several pipeline candidates, including PH94B, a neuroactive nasal spray in late-stage development for acute treatment of social anxiety, PH10 for major depressive disorder, and AV-101, an oral prodrug in clinical trials for adjunctive treatment of depression and neuropathic pain. By integrating human-cell screening data early in the development process, VistaGen aims to reduce attrition rates and shorten timelines for its programs.
Founded in 1998 as Aldagen and rebranded as VistaGen Therapeutics in 2014, the company transitioned from cell therapy research to focus on its proprietary drug rescue, repurposing, and discovery platforms. VistaGen became publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol VTGN, providing the financial resources to advance its clinical pipeline. The company is led by President and CEO Shawn Singh, whose background includes leadership roles in global biopharmaceutical development, along with a management team that brings expertise in neuroscience, medicinal chemistry, regulatory affairs and clinical execution.
In addition to its internal pipeline efforts, VistaGen pursues strategic collaborations and licensing opportunities to extend the reach of its technology and maximize shareholder value. By partnering with academic institutions, contract research organizations and commercial entities, the company seeks to leverage its Human Clinical Trials in a Dish™ platform across a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas. VistaGen remains committed to addressing unmet medical needs in CNS disorders by advancing innovative candidates designed to improve patient outcomes and deliver long-term commercial success.
