Research by drug companies into neurodegenerative diseases has traditionally focussed on blocking the damaging toxic proteins that accumulate in the brain. By adopting an alternative angle involving immune cells that can clear these toxic proteins, researchers at The University of Queensland have made two exciting discoveries. One is that a key immune system target, NLRP3 inflammasome, lights up in Parkinson’s sufferers but the second finding, which is equally significant, is that a tiny twice daily oral dose of MCC950 effectively blocks this reaction.
Human trials on healthy volunteers are likely in the UK this year with Phase 2 trials on Parkinson’s patients in 2020. This exciting new approach is being funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Shake It Up Foundation Australia.
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