• SKIP TO CONTENT
  • SKIP NAVIGATION
  • Patient Resources
    • COVID-19 Patient Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials
    • Search Clinical Trials
    • Patient Notification System
    • What is Clinical Research?
    • Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
    • Understanding Informed Consent
    • Useful Resources
    • FDA Approved Drugs
  • Professional Resources
    • Research Center Profiles
    • Clinical Trial Listings
    • Market Research
    • FDA Approved Drugs
    • Training Guides
    • Books
    • eLearning
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • White Papers
    • SOPs
    • eCFR and Guidances
  • White Papers
  • Trial Listings
  • Advertise
  • COVID-19
  • iConnect
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Imago Pharmaceuticals partner

The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Imago Pharmaceuticals partner

May 11, 2015
CenterWatch Staff

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) has acquired a library of research tools around the parkin protein from Imago Pharmaceuticals. The Foundation believes these tools—cell lines, plasmids, compounds and more—will accelerate biological study and drug development against this promising disease-modification target.

Imago purchased the tools as part of a deal with health firm Perrigo in late 2014. These parkin assets originated at now-defunct biotech Elan Pharmaceuticals, where Imago leaders worked on another target: c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or JNK. They are continuing work on JNK inhibitors as potential therapeutics for inflammatory, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease.

MJFF bought hundreds of parkin tools for a cost covering storage and shipment. Foundation staff and advisors now are strategizing where to invest in further testing and replication.

"We're immensely grateful to Imago for offering this valuable library of varied research tools," said Marco Baptista, Ph.D., who leads the MJFF Parkin Program. "The availability of these resources will significantly speed parkin research and the field's ability to test new concepts toward a therapy that may have clinical relevance for millions living with Parkinson's disease."

The research tools deemed most valuable will join the MJFF Research Tools Catalog, a listing of assets from antibodies to viral vectors managed by the Foundation. MJFF makes these tools easily and affordably available to the research community to break down barriers to progress and advance Parkinson's discovery and drug development.

The parkin protein is a target of interest for researchers seeking to develop treatments to slow or stop progression of Parkinson's disease, an unmet need. Currently available therapies treat only the symptoms of the disease.

Mutations in the parkin (PARK2) gene are associated with young-onset Parkinson's disease and lead to dysfunction of the parkin protein. Scientists believe that the protein plays a role in mitophagy and mitochondrial function and that parkin levels are reduced as we age. MJFF is funding a consortia of investigators studying the biology of parkin and the development of both parkin replacement and activation therapies for those with the PARK2 mutation and with other forms of Parkinson's disease (i.e., sporadic, associated with other genetic mutations), respectively.

The Foundation will work with funded researchers to fold the parkin tools into their studies first then roll them out to the greater research community later this year.

Upcoming Events

  • 16Feb

    Fundamentals of FDA Inspection Management: Reduce Anxiety, Increase Inspection Success

  • 21May

    WCG MAGI Clinical Research Conference – 2023 East

Featured Products

  • Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

    Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

  • Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection

    Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection: Resources for Investigators, Sponsors, CROs and IRBs

Featured Stories

  • SurveywBlueBackground-360x240.png

    Sites Name Tech Acceptance as Essential Factor in Selection of Sponsors, Survey Finds

  • TrendsInsights2023-360x240.png

    WCG Clinical Research Trends and Insights for 2023, Part Two

  • TimeMoneyEffort-360x240.png

    Time is Money and So Is Effort, Budgeting Experts Say

  • TrendsInsights2023A-360x240.png

    WCG Clinical Research Trends and Insights for 2023, Part Three

Standard Operating Procedures for Risk-Based Monitoring of Clinical Trials

The information you need to adapt your monitoring plan to changing times.

Learn More Here
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Data

Footer Logo

300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046, USA

Phone 617.948.5100 – Toll free 866.219.3440

Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing