NRG Therapeutics, Ltd. has received a second $500,000 grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to continue their lead drug discovery program aimed at developing a first-in-class treatment for Parkinson’s disease. NRG Therapeutics is utilizing groundbreaking science in the field of mitochondrial biology to inhibit the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in brain cells, which has been shown to be neuroprotective in preclinical models of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The second grant will support further research to validate a new mitochondrial drug target for Parkinson’s disease. The aim is to develop drugs that can block the opening of the mPTP, which can lead to the death of dopamine-producing brain cells when triggered by high concentrations of calcium ions. The grant will help determine if genetic deletion of a mitochondrial protein in vitro and in vivo can protect brain cells, and whether drug modulation of this protein can improve Parkinson’s symptoms.
Dr. Neil Miller, NRG Therapeutics’ co-founder and CEO, expressed his gratitude for the grant, stating that the company had made significant progress in their research and hoped their work could lead to new treatments that could positively change the lives of individuals with neurodegenerative disorders.
NRG Therapeutics’ approach to developing mPTP inhibitors involves the discovery of small drug-like molecules that are orally bioavailable and brain penetrant, making them potential treatments for chronic neurodegenerative disorders. These novel ‘second-generation’ mPTP inhibitors act independently of cyclophilin D (CypD), a protein that is believed to regulate the pore, and historical attempts to develop CypD inhibitors that can cross the blood-brain barrier have been unsuccessful.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is pleased to provide funding for NRG Therapeutics’ research and supports the development of life-changing treatments to fulfill the unmet needs of people with Parkinson’s disease.
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