Date: 2014-05-05
Type of information: Grant
Company: Lundbeck (Denmark)
Investors: The Michael J. Fox Foundation - MJFF (USA)
Amount:
Funding type: grant
Planned used: In recent years, Lundbeck has been committed to investigating variation in the gene Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (Lrrk2). By studying the role of a mutation in Lrrk2, Lundbeck researchers hope to be able to identify the first-ever biological markers of the disease, paving the way for earlier diagnosis of patients who have no hereditary form of the disease. Lundbeck will use the grant from MJFF to support research to identify Lrrk2 (Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2)-dependent biological fingerprints in specific cells in the blood. This research program will continue over the next three years. The identified fingerprints will be used in several ways. First, they will provide more general information about the biological function of Lrrk2 and might help to understand important mechanisms underlying the general involvement of the Lrrk2 biology in disease onset and progression.
Secondly, it is anticipated that besides the more immediate outcomes listed above, the project will, in the long run, provide valuable data on identifying markers to measure progression of Parkinson’s disease. This would be useful for supporting clinical trials and developing disease-modifying treatments.
Others: * On May 5, 2014, Lundbeck announced that it has once again received support and recognition for its research on Parkinson’s disease through a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF). Lundbeck´s latest project aims to explore a genetic cause in hereditary forms of the disease as a platform for developing disease-modifying treatment that would slow or stop the progression of the disease in both hereditary and “sporadic cases”, i.e. when the cause of the disease is not known. This latest grant is the third that Lundbeck has received from MJFF in just six months, illustrating the potential and importance of the research done by Lundbeck in the field of Parkinson’s disease.
Therapeutic area: Neurodegenerative diseases
