Lundbeck, a pharmaceutical company based in Deerfield, Ill. and CHDI Foundation, a not-for-profit biomedical research organization, have formed a research collaboration to investigate a targeted therapy for Huntington’s disease.

As part of the collaboration CHDI will conduct pre-clinical studies on a Lundbeck investigative compound. Research will focus on the compound’s effect on P2X receptors that may be involved in Huntington’s. The study results will influence future research into this and other compounds for Huntington’s.

“One of our important functions at CHDI is to seek out promising research ideas in the HD field, and this includes this interesting new work on Lundbeck’s compound,” noted Ignacio Munoz-Sanjuan, vice president of translational biology, CHDI. “Lundbeck has a proven track record of not only bringing new therapies to market but also working to support the needs of their patient communities. We hope this research collaboration provides a stepping stone for future therapies that slow the progression of HD.”

Currently, no treatment exists to slow or halt the progression of Huntington’s disease, a challenging hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized by a triad of behavioral, cognitive and motor symptoms.

Staffan Schüberg, president of Lundbeck, added, “We are also pleased that this announcement coincides with HD Awareness Month, to help draw attention to the need to find therapies for this degenerative neurological disease.”