PRLog - March 25, 2015 - MENLO PARK, Calif. -- STATegics, Inc. announced today that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded the company a second grant to advance its proprietary agonists of the tissue-protective erythropoietin receptor for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Combined with the previously announced grant, the funding totals $594,740 and is provided through the Foundation’s Therapeutic Pipeline Program. The award will advance preclinical studies of STATegics’ compounds in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
“This additional grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation will provide valuable support for us to expand on previous studies that demonstrated efficacy of small molecule agonists of the tissue-protective erythropoietin receptor in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease using intraperitoneal administration,” said Jeffrey R. Spencer, PhD, Senior Vice President and the Principal Investigator of the program at STATegics.
“The award allows for the development of oral formulations of the lead compound enabling subsequent advancement into clinical testing,” added Juha Punnonen, MD, PhD, CEO of STATegics.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 1 million people in the United States and an estimated 5 million people globally. Parkinson's disease associates with diminished production of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, resulting in progressive impairment of motor function characterized by tremors, rigidity and slow movements. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease. Several drugs have been approved by the FDA to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but there are no drugs approved as disease-modifying therapeutics.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through aggressively funded, highly targeted research programs, and has invested over $450 million in research to date. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org.
About STATegics, Inc., and Small Molecule Cytokine Receptor Agonists
STATegics, Inc. is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company in Menlo Park, CA, committed to the discovery and development of small molecule modulators of cytokine receptors. The company’s lead programs are focused on small molecule agonists of erythropoietin and thrombopoietin receptors for the treatment of central nervous system diseases and thrombocytopenia, respectively. In addition to Parkinson’s disease, STATegics’ erythropoietin receptor agonists demonstrate promising properties for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia, an orphan neurodegenerative disease with no treatments currently available, and acute kidney injury, a sudden loss of kidney function associated with significant morbidity and mortality. STATegics is also developing screening technologies for efficient and rapid identification of small molecules targeting allosteric sites of cytokine receptors. In addition to MJFF, STATegics’ programs have been supported by grants from the Department of Defense, Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the U.S. Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project program. For more information, visit www.stategics.com.
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STATegics, Inc. Announces a Second Grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
March 25, 2015 at 09:00 AM EDT
