Study Rationale: Inflammation in the brain is an important trigger of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our strategy is to block one of the key molecules mediating inflammation and degeneration in the brain. This brain-protective inhibitor of inflammation will also function to maintain proper operation of brain cells. If given early enough, this drug could potentially prevent development of PD altogether.
Hypothesis: We hypothesize that blocking neuroinflammation in the brain will alleviate PD symptoms and allow people with PD to lead a close-to-healthy life without progressive disease.
Study Design: First, we will create a brain-penetrating inhibitor of inflammation by combining our proprietary antibody with clinically proven brain-shuttle technologies. We will assess whether our drug candidate is able to perform its protective function in human cells. Finally, we will use preclinical PD models to test whether our drug can achieve the expected therapeutic benefit.
Impact on Diagnosis/Treatment of Parkinson’s disease: If successful, this project could facilitate the clinical development of a revolutionary new treatment for PD that can stop neuroinflammation-induced damage to the brain and has the potential to improve the lives of people with PD by restoring healthy brain function.
Next Steps for Development: The next steps for this project will be to perform rigorous safety tests and to perform high quality manufacturing of the drug candidate with the goal of initiating clinical testing as soon as possible.