Nine Square Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on discovering novel small molecules to treat severe neurodegenerative diseases, has been awarded a $4.5 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).
The grant will be used to accelerate the development of novel Parkin activators for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Mutations in the Parkin protein are strongly associated with early-onset PD. Nine Square has developed small molecule candidates that promote Parkin activity, aiming to induce the clearance of dysfunctional mitochondria and protect dopaminergic neurons.
This funding from MJFF will support the identification of drug candidates with the potential to benefit individuals with PD. Nine Square Therapeutics will use the grant to advance the nomination of its clinical candidate for further development.
The company was founded by Apple Tree Partners (ATP) and scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Nine Square Therapeutics combines phenotypic image-based cell profiling, computational molecular modeling and chemistry, and clinical research to expedite drug development for neurodegenerative diseases.
