New research project to pave the way for treatment of Parkinson’s disease
A new research project aims to develop a treatment that can remove and prevent the spread of a toxic protein in the brain that drives Parkinson’s disease. Innovation Fund Denmark has invested DKK 26.7 million in the project.
Parkinson’s disease is the fastest-growing neurological disorder, and approximately 22,500 Danes are currently living with the condition. Existing treatments only alleviate symptoms and cannot slow disease progression, which gradually impairs patients’ movement and quality of life.
In the DESYNA project, researchers from the Department of Biomedicine, the Department of Clinical Medicine, and iNANO are collaborating with the biotech company Draupnir Bio to develop a new treatment that specifically degrades aggregates of the protein alpha-synuclein in the brain. These aggregates play a central role in the development of the disease and its spread between neurons.
The new approach combines advanced protein degradation technology with cutting-edge research in neurodegeneration. The goal is to halt disease progression by both removing harmful protein aggregates and preventing their spread.
“This project places Denmark at the forefront of Parkinson’s disease research and represents an ambitious strategy that offers hope to patients living with the disease,” says Associate Professor Simon Glerup from the Department of Biomedicine and CSO at Draupnir Bio, who leads the project.
The project has received a Grand Solutions grant running over three years and aims to deliver new treatment candidates that can be further developed towards clinical testing.
The news is based on press material from Draupnir Bio.
Contact
Associate Professor and Chief Scientific Officer Simon Glerup
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine and Draupnir Bio
Phone: +45 51 22 17 27
Email: glerup@draupnir.bio