Drug Animation – Vesper Bio’s Frontotemporal Dementia Therapy

A New Way to Treat a Rapid Form of Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) moves quickly. It damages personality, motor skills, and coordination—often within just two years. For many patients, the cause is a lack of progranulin, a protein that protects brain health. Vesper Bio is taking a new approach by targeting the sortilin receptor, which normally clears progranulin from the brain too fast.

In this drug animation, we show how Vesper’s lead drug, VES001, stops sortilin from removing progranulin. As a result, healthy progranulin levels return. This could help slow or even reverse the damage caused by FTD.

The Science Behind the Drug Animation

Let’s break it down. Sortilin is a receptor found on neurons and microglia. It plays a major role in how progranulin is cleared from the body. In patients with FTD, a gene mutation causes progranulin levels to drop too low—often by more than 50%. Since progranulin supports many brain functions, this drop leads to neurodegeneration.

Vesper Bio is solving this by blocking sortilin, but only at the cell surface. This is important. Unlike other attempts, Vesper’s approach does not disrupt the cell’s internal recycling or lysosomes. Instead, it keeps progranulin available outside the cell—where it protects neurons.

Their drug, VES001, is a small molecule designed using high-resolution protein structures. It fits exactly where it needs to go, disrupting harmful protein interactions without unwanted side effects.

So far, the data looks promising:

  • Progranulin levels return to normal in animals and humans
  • Lysosomal health remains stable
  • The approach shows potential in other brain diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s

Behind the Scenes: Making the Drug Animation for Vesper Bio

When Vesper asked us to create this animation, their goal was clear: Show what makes their therapy different.

What Made This Project Unique

Many previous anti-sortilin therapies had failed in trials. Vesper needed to show why their version was better—and fast.

We worked closely with their team to:

  • Explain what sortilin is, without overwhelming the viewer
  • Show how selective binding works—clearly and visually
  • Highlight the mechanism of action in less than two minutes
  • Maintain scientific accuracy while keeping it engaging

The Questions That Shaped the Story

From the start, we faced a few challenges:

  • Should we start with the disease or the biology?
  • How do we visualize sortilin’s role without going into too much detail?
  • Can we show the difference between surface and internal targeting?

Together with Dr. Sabina Gerber and her colleagues, we adjusted the script and visuals until every part was just right.

A Drug Animation That Makes an Impact

Today, Vesper Bio uses this drug animation in meetings, presentations, and online. It helps them explain complex science in a way that’s fast, clear, and easy to follow.

If you’re developing animated drugs, platforms, or mechanisms, we can help you do the same.

Want to Learn More?

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