BHV-8000 from Biohaven Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a dual, brain-penetrant, oral small molecule that is highly selective against TYK2 and JAK1 enzymes, which are essential enzymes to the inflammatory response driving the progression of many neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Stem cell implantation is a step closer to becoming the next strategy against Parkinson's disease. Two clinical trials, one in phase I and the other in phase I/II, have demonstrated their safety and potential to restore dopamine production in the brains of patients with this currently incurable neurodegenerative condition. The number of participants in the study is still small, and further research is needed to demonstrate the clinical benefits of these cell therapies.

Xellsmart Biopharmaceutical (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. has announced IND clearances by the FDA for its XS-411 and XS-228 cell therapies, for Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), respectively.

Genes associated with lysosomal dysfunction increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a study led by scientists at Northwestern University. The discovery also explains why some people who carry a pathogenic variant of the GBA1 gene develop PD or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and others do not. The key lies in the Commander complex, involved in the transport of proteins to this organelle. This discovery raises the need for combinatorial therapies that act on more than one pathway for this type of neurodegenerative disorder.

1st Biotherapeutics Inc. has joined The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) LRRK2 Investigative Therapeutics Exchange (LITE) program.

Researchers from AC Immune SA recently presented the discovery of ACI-21018, a novel α-synuclein aggregation inhibitor developed using AC Immune’s proprietary Morphomer platform.

Researchers from Sanofi SA reported the preclinical characterization of SAR-446159 (ABL-301), a bispecific antibody construct comprising an antibody targeting α-synuclein fused to an engineered antibody fragment that targets IGF-1R and functions as a blood-brain barrier (BBB) shuttle, known as the Grabody-B platform.

BDNF is the brain’s most abundant neurotrophic factor, playing a key role in neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity through the activation of the transcription factor CREB, which is essential for driving beneficial effects in neurons. CREB is downregulated in Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.