Acurex Biosciences Awarded ASAP Grant to Advance 15-LO Targeting Approach for Parkinson's Disease
Key Insights
Acurex Biosciences (search) received a grant from Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (search) (ASAP) in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation to advance its Parkinson's disease (search) research program.
The multi-year collaboration, led by Professor Tim Greenamyre at the University of Pittsburgh, will investigate the role of the 15-lipoxygenase (search) (15-LO) enzyme in Parkinson's disease (search) progression.
Acurex's approach targets 15-LO with brain-penetrant small molecules to protect dopamine-producing neurons, aiming to develop disease-modifying treatments beyond symptom management.
Acurex Biosciences (search), a biotechnology company developing new medicines for Parkinson's disease (search) and other neurological disorders, announced today it has been awarded a grant from Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (search) (ASAP) in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). The award will fund a multi-year collaboration investigating a novel therapeutic approach targeting the enzyme 15-lipoxygenase (search) (15-LO) as a potential disease-modifying strategy for Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease (search) affects nearly 10 million people worldwide. While current medicines can help manage symptoms, none have been proven to slow or stop the underlying progression of the disease. Acurex is focused on advancing research into the underlying biology of the disease to address this critical unmet need.
Targeting 15-LO: A New Strategy Against an Old Disease
One of Acurex's lead programs targets 15-lipoxygenase (search), a molecular catalyst that can trigger a series of damaging cellular processes inside cells. In Parkinson's disease (search), this damage is believed to be associated with the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells that are gradually lost over time. By blocking 15-LO with small-molecule medicines designed to reach the brain, Acurex aims to protect vulnerable nerve cells before they are lost, with the goal of developing treatments that do more than ease symptoms.
The scientific foundation for this approach has gained strong momentum as researchers increasingly recognize the importance of ferroptosis, a form of iron-driven cell death, and neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease (search) and related neurodegenerative disorders.
"Today's Parkinson's patients deserve more than symptom relief — they deserve a real chance to slow this disease," said Lev Leytes, CEO and Co-Founder of Acurex Biosciences (search). "ASAP's recognition affirms what we have believed from the start: 15-LO is one of the most promising new targets in neuroscience, and Acurex is uniquely positioned to translate that science into new medicines for patients."
A World-Class Collaboration
The collaboration will include Professor Sarah Marzi of King's College London and Professor Emily Rocha of the University of Pittsburgh, and will be led by Professor Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD, also of the University of Pittsburgh, who is one of the world's leading Parkinson's disease (search) researchers. The team will join the Collaborative Research Network (CRN), an international, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional network working to address high-priority research questions about Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Greenamyre's laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh has long been at the forefront of Parkinson's disease (search) research. His team has already shown that Acurex's experimental compounds can protect brain cells in rigorous preclinical models, an important step toward advancing the company's lead candidates toward human studies.
"Acurex's work targeting 15-LO is among the most compelling new approaches I have seen in Parkinson's research," said Dr. Greenamyre. "This collaboration gives us the opportunity to deepen our understanding of how this pathway may contribute to disease processes."
What the Grant Will Fund
Through the ASAP Collaborative Research Network, Acurex and its academic partners will work to define how 15-LO contributes to the loss of brain cells caused by environmental toxins linked to Parkinson's disease (search), map the cascade of cellular damage that follows and identify the best ways to interrupt it, and advance Acurex's lead drug candidates toward human clinical trials.
A Pivotal Moment for Acurex
The ASAP award marks a pivotal moment for Acurex. Over the past 18 months, the company has built a robust preclinical evidence base, attracted growing interest from leading Parkinson's investigators, and earned recognition as part of a select group of companies pursuing the next generation of disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
"This grant is more than funding," said Leytes. "We see joining ASAP's Collaborative Research Network as a powerful opportunity for our science, our team, and our mission to bring forward medicines that could change the future for people living with Parkinson's."
Acurex is preparing to raise Series A funding to advance its programs through human trials. The company is headquartered in San Carlos, California.