Support the Parkinson's Virtual Biotech

The Parkinson's Virtual Biotech is our global drug discovery and development programme, in partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation.

People with Parkinson's need new treatments now, but drug development takes years.

Through the Virtual Biotech, we're bridging the gap between promising research and development of new drugs, by investing in projects with the greatest potential to transform lives for people with Parkinson's. We invest to help fast-track drug discovery, working with biotechs and scientists across the world as they are rapidly testing and developing potential new drug candidates. We're accelerating the search for new treatments.

Watch the video below to learn more about how your donations are driving forward discoveries. 

These are just two of the current projects in the Virtual Biotech

Regulating brain inflammation
Inflammation is a natural part of the body's response to infection, but too much inflammation can cause damage. Research shows that there could be too much inflammation in brain cells affected by Parkinson's. Scientists believe this damages the dopamine-producing brain cells, progressing the condition. Neumora Therapeutics are developing a new drug that could help protect the precious brain cells by stopping excessive inflammation being triggered in the brain. The aim is to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's. 

Protecting brain cells
Mitochondria have a key role in cells to produce energy - like tiny batteries. But in Parkinson's, the mitochondria stop working properly, damaging the cells they are in and stopping them from functioning. Repairing mitochondria could save dying brain cells and stop the progression. Lucy Therapeutics have developed molecules that early experiments show can target a key part of the mitochondria and improve their function. 

How will this make a difference?

The Parkinson's Virtual Biotech has committed over £30 million to projects pushing new treatments forward. From early stage research to world-first phase 2 clinical trials of groundbreaking new treatments. But our ambitions go much further.

We believe new and better treatments for Parkinson's are possible, but there is a critical funding gap which is stalling possible treatments before they have had a chance to be developed.

That's where the Virtual Biotech comes in. Driven by people with Parkinson's, we'll invest where others won't. We carefully select the projects with the greatest potential to improve life for people with Parkinson's.

But we can't do it without you. Your donation will help get some of the most promising and exciting ideas off the ground and get new treatments into people's hands.