Date: 2013-10-14
Type of information: Grant
Company: Lundbeck (Denmark)
Investors: The Michael J. Fox Foundation - MJFF (USA)
Amount: DKK 5 million (€0.73 million)
Funding type: grant
Planned used: The two Lundbeck research projects leverage company resources with added support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to develop potential new pharmaceuticals. The first project aims to develop a treatment that addresses the underlying disease mechanisms and which has the potential to prevent or alter the course of Parkinson\'s disease. The purpose of the second project is to develop a symptomatic treatment without the motor side effects that characterise the existing treatment. The disease-modifying project centres on the alpha-synuclein protein. In all PD patients, alpha-synuclein over time creates changes in the brain, and it has for some time been assumed that disease progression may be slowed by affecting this protein. Lundbeck has now identified a number of antibodies that may bind to alpha-synuclein, and in animal studies one of these antibodies has shown the potential to positively affect PD. In the other project, researchers seek to develop a treatment of some of the severe disease symptoms, focusing on an area in the brain that has not previously been investigated.By affecting this receptor, Lundbeck seeks to develop a new type of drug which, unlike existing medical treatments, does not affect the dopamine receptors in the brain, and therefore is expected to not elicit motor side effects.
Others: * On October 14, 2013, Lundbeck has been awarded two research grants from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research totalling 5.5 million kroner (€0.73 million).
Therapeutic area: Neurodegenerative diseases
