--Acurex Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing new medicines for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders, announced it has been awarded a grant from Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).

The award will support a multi-year collaboration, including Professor Sarah Marzi of King’s College London and Professor Emily Rocha of the University of Pittsburgh, and led by Professor Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD, also of the University of Pittsburgh, who is one of the world’s leading Parkinson’s disease 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.

Parkinson’s disease 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.

A New Strategy Against an Old Disease

One of Acurex’s lead programs targets an enzyme called 15-lipoxygenase, or 15-LO, a molecular catalyst that can trigger a series of damaging cellular processes inside cells. In Parkinson’s disease, this damage is believed to be associated with the loss of the 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 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. “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.”