Nitrome Biosciences Awarded a Michael J. Fox Foundation Target Advancement Grant to Discover a New Drug Target for Parkinson's Disease
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo., June 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nitrome Biosciences (Nitrome) announces its award of a Target Advancement grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). The funds will be used to accelerate Nitrome's biological studies on a new drug target for Parkinson's disease.
Nitrome Biosciences is developing drugs against a new class of enzymes, initially targeting Parkinson's disease. Nitrome has found that alpha-synuclein nitration and aggregation — a hallmark of Parkinson's — is catalyzed by a newly identified enzyme that we have termed Synuclein Nitrase. Nitrome's drugs are intended to inhibit Synuclein Nitrase and slow or halt Parkinson's disease progression.
"We're immensely grateful to MJFF for awarding this grant to Nitrome. This provides not only critically needed support but also shows interest in our unique approach to Parkinson's disease drug development," said Irene Griswold-Prenner, PhD, Founder and CEO of Nitrome. "Additionally, the close connection with MJFF personnel provides important feedback as well as access to information, disease models and reagents."
"Highly nitrated and misfolded proteins play important roles in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis," said Ephraim Heller, Chairman of the BOD. "Nitrome will deploy its platform technology to develop therapies for multiple diseases involving enzymatic protein nitration."
Luis M. Oliveira, PhD, MJFF Associate Director of Research Programs, said, "The alpha-synuclein pathway is a compelling target for Parkinson's therapeutics, and we are glad to support this study to mediate pathology and advance toward treatments that slow or stop disease progression."
About Nitrome Biosciences
Nitrome Biosciences is a platform company developing drugs against a newly identified class of enzymes, initially targeting Parkinson's disease. When successful, we will have founded and characterized this class of enzymes and will have paved a novel inroad into the proprietary development of disease-modifying drugs for multiple additional aging-dependent diseases. We are starting with Parkinson's disease but this may be extended to include other neurodegenerative diseases, Type II diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
For more information, please visit our website at www.nitromebiosciences.com.
Media Contact:
Irene Griswold-Prenner
Nitrome Biosciences, Inc.
415-310-1058
[email protected]
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 an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $800 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world.
For more information, visit us on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
SOURCE Nitrome Biosciences, Inc.
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