- Small molecule autophagy enhancer to clear alpha-synuclein Aggregation of alpha-synuclein is considered the primary cause of dopaminergic, and other cell type, degeneration in PD
- Potential in other synucleinopathy, e.g. dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multi-system atrophy (MSA)
- In rodent models of PD, clears alpha-synuclein aggregations and provides both behavioural recovery and cellular protection from damage.
- Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) designated compound
- Already approved for human use as a food substance
- Could be rapidly progressed into proof-of-concept clinical studies
- Potential to launch as a Medical Food after efficacy is demonstrated in a Phase II clinical study
- $1.2M MJFF funding for Parkinson’s programme will complete pre-clinical development in rodents and NHP and define doses to use in clinical studies