Parkinson’s UK is collaborating with Domainex on a project focused on developing small molecule therapies that could slow down the progression of the disease.
The charity will work with Domainex, an integrated medicines research services partner, that will provide fully integrated drug discovery services including assay biology, medicinal and computational chemistry.
Parkinson’s UK is investing £3 million into the project through its drug development arm - the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech.
People with Parkinson’s often see excessive chronic inflammation within the brain. Many researchers believe that this causes damage to the brain cells. Previous work carried out by Parkinson’s UK has led to the identification of novel small molecules which target a protein found on the surface of microglia, the main immune cells in the brain that become overactive in Parkinson’s.
Domainex will conduct integrated drug discovery in order to optimise the pharmaceutical properties of these molecules with the ultimate aim of nominating a clinical candidate. The goal is to develop a therapy with the potential to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s, something no current medication can do.
“We are thrilled to have been selected by Parkinson’s UK to work on this promising project which has the potential to improve the lives of 145,000 people living with Parkinson’s in the UK,” said Tom Mander, CEO of Domainex. “Domainex has built up significant expertise of working with several charities and patient foundations, including projects funded by the British Heart Foundation, CHDI Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, where we have utilised our extensive knowledge to add significant value. We look forward to working with the team at Parkinson’s UK and supporting the wider Parkinson’s community to progress the development of potentially life-changing medicines. Having studied microglial cells during my DPhil and spent a good part of my early industrial career working on macrophage activation, I am especially interested to see whether a new therapy emerges from our partnership.”
Dr Richard Morphy, drug discovery manager at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Domainex was selected following an extensive review process on the basis of their experience and capability to execute a fully integrated drug discovery project, including the development of neuroinflammation assays and the optimisation of our compounds’ target engagement in the brain. We’re delighted to work with Domainex and our other project partners to find compounds that can mitigate the damaging microglial over-activation in Parkinson’s. The Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is driven by the experiences and most pressing needs of the Parkinson's community. We’re excited to work with Domainex over the course of the project to engage and involve people living with the condition in this important work.”
49-year-old Nick Pace from Hertfordshire was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s in 2019. Nick recently took part in a clinical study which explores repurposing an asthma drug for Parkinson’s in the hope that it could improve his memory and thought processes. He understands the importance of getting involved in research for Parkinson’s that could lead to new treatments.
“For people like me, research means the world. It’s our hope. Every day I wake up and every day there isn’t a cure or a treatment that can slow or stop things getting worse. Pioneering projects like this one could change that. That’s why I will do whatever I can to support research that could transform my life. If it misses my generation, it could be the next generation that benefits. It is vitally important we continue to fund, support and take part in Parkinson’s research.”