Neuron23® Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company on a mission to transform the future of Parkinson’s disease through precision medicine, announced it has received a $2.5 million grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to support expansion of the Company’s ongoing Phase 2 NEULARK clinical trial of NEU-411 into Israel.
The funding supports activation of four clinical trial sites across Israel and patient screening efforts for people with early Parkinson’s disease (PD) who may have LRRK2-driven disease. Neuron23 recently screened the first patient in Israel for participation in the NEULARK study.
“Support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation underscores the growing momentum behind precision medicine approaches in Parkinson’s disease,” said Arash Rassoulpour, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of Neuron23. “We believe identifying and treating patients based on the underlying biology driving their disease has the potential to fundamentally change how Parkinson’s disease is treated. Israel has an exceptional Parkinson’s research and clinical community, and we are excited to expand NEULARK to patients there.”
The global Phase 2 NEULARK clinical trial is evaluating NEU-411, a potent, selective and brain-penetrant oral LRRK2 inhibitor, in people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease who are genetically identified as having LRRK2-driven disease. NEULARK is among the first Parkinson’s disease studies to apply a precision medicine approach by prospectively identifying patients most likely to benefit from LRRK2 inhibition.
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The trial is currently enrolling participants globally and incorporates digital biomarker technology to frequently monitor both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease over time.
“LRRK2 remains one of the most compelling therapeutic targets in Parkinson’s disease because it is supported by decades of genetic and biological research,” said Prof. Roy Alcalay, M.D., chief of the Movement Disorders Division at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. “The expansion of precision medicine studies like NEULARK into Israel reflects the strong commitment of the movement disorders community to provide access to clinical trials and prospective future targeted therapies in Israel and worldwide.”
“At The Michael J. Fox Foundation, we remain steadfast toward our singular and urgent mission of delivering better treatments and a cure for patients living with Parkinson’s disease,” said Shalini Padmanabhan, PhD, MJFF’s senior vice president and head of translational research. “We’re moving toward a future where we can define disease by biology, identify it earlier and build more targeted treatments. Our support of Neuron23’s expanded recruitment efforts reflects the field’s growing momentum in more personalized drug development and the importance of studying therapies in genetically enriched patient populations.”
SOURCE: Businesswire