Virtual Biotech projects off to strong start for 2026

As we start an exciting year for Parkinson’s research, the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is celebrating 3 exciting milestones towards new and better treatments. The Virtual Biotech is our innovative programme in partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation focused on investing in drug development for Parkinson’s. 

NRG trial underway

Firstly, the NRG trial of a new drug that hopes to slow or stop Parkinson’s and motor neurone disease (MND) is underway in Amsterdam. This is the very first time the drug has been used in people. The trial has started by initially focusing on healthy volunteers, who are asked to take the drug so that researchers can identify the ideal dose, assess potential side effects, and understand how the drug behaves in the human body. They hope to trial the drug in people with MND and people with Parkinson’s in 2027.

The NRG drug is designed to repair mitochondria, the energy producing "batteries" of cells, and protect dopamine-producing cells from dying over time, something we know happens as Parkinson’s gets worse.

It marks a major step forward for the project, which we’ve been supporting from its beginning. You can read previous news on the NRG project here. 

Herantis shares more information on their drug

In other promising news, we’re excited to share an update from a study we’re funding in partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the company Herantis Pharma. The study is focused on developing an injectable form of a growth factor treatment for Parkinson’s. Last year, we shared positive Phase 1 results showing that the treatment was safe and successfully reached the brain in people with Parkinson’s.

Today, additional biomarker data from the study offers further confidence that the drug is acting in the human body as expected, in line with what’s been previously shown in the lab. To do this, scientists took blood samples and fluid from the spine via lumbar puncture of participants to do a large analysis of lots of different markers - from looking at changes in biology associated with mitochondria to changes in breakdown of proteins in the cell. 

Dr Lynsey Bilsland, Managing Director of the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech, commented:

“We’re thrilled that the Phase 1 trial results continue to look promising. It's too early to say if the potential treatment is changing symptoms and slowing or stopping Parkinson’s but we hope this will come next.

“This strong foundation should help attract investment for larger trials that will be needed to further investigate this injectable drug in phase 2 trials. This is exactly what our Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech programme is about - building early stage evidence to help attract further investment and move potential treatments closer to people with Parkinson’s.”

Syntara trial completes recruitment

Finally, we have an update from a phase 2 trial we’re funding with a company called Syntara. The study is investigating a drug, SNT-4728, which has the potential to reduce harmful inflammation in the brain. This process is believed to play a role in the earliest stages of Parkinson’s.

The trial has now reached an important milestone, with all 40 participants successfully recruited. It will soon move into the data analysis phase, and results are expected by the end of 2026.

This study is focused on people with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) and is being conducted at sites in Oxford, UK, and Sydney, Australia. iRBD is a condition where individuals act out their dreams, sometimes multiple times a night. Research has shown that people with iRBD are at a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s, making this an important area of investigation to potentially slow the onset of the condition. 

Thank you to partners and supporters 

Reflecting on all the progress, made possible by supporters of our research programmes including the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech, Lynsey also shares:

“Thank you to everyone who supports our research - from generous donors to the incredible individuals taking part in clinical trials. Promising news like this wouldn’t be possible without you. We’re also grateful for the collaboration of other funders and leading scientists worldwide, who make this work possible.”