Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutations adversely impair multiple physiological processes, and gain-of-function mutations in the LRRK2 gene are common in familial forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Neuron23 Inc. came out of stealth mode in late 2020 with a $113.5 million combined series A and B round to support its AI-enabled drug discovery effort aimed at bringing a precision medicine approach to neuroimmunology. Now it has added another $100 million in a series C financing as it gears up to move into clinical testing with lead programs targeting LRRK2 and TYK2.
A study led by researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing has elicited the mechanism whereby the protein leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 prevents alveolar type II epithelial cell dysfunction, limiting profibrotic responses during progression of pulmonary fibrosis.
Biogen Inc., one the world's top neurological disease specialists, is committing to invest more than $1 billion in cash and equity in Denali Therapeutics Inc. for rights to co-develop and co-commercialize a potential therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) and options to secure up to four more neurodegenerative disease programs from its new partner.
The leucine-repeat rich kinase 2 (Lrrk2) gets most of its attention in the context of Parkinson's disease (PD). Variants in Lrrk2 are a major cause of familial PD (though familial PD makes up only a small fraction of overall PD cases).