Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no curative or disease-modifying treatments available. Current therapies provide only symptomatic relief, underscoring a major unmet medical need.

At the core of Parkinson’s pathology lies alpha-synuclein (SNCA). Its misfolding and aggregation, particularly into toxic oligomeric species, initiate neuronal dysfunction and enable the prion-like spread of pathology throughout the brain. Increasing evidence identifies these oligomers as the most neurotoxic and clinically relevant forms, making them an ideal therapeutic target. However, antibodies that have previously been tested in clinical trials show low selectivity and bind not only to pathological SNCA aggregates, but also to physiologically relevant monomeric SNCA molecules. This increases the risk of undesirable side effects and reduces the potential clinical efficacy.

Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Immunology and Cell Therapy in Leipzig, we developed the patented antibody 5G4 (DE102011008153) into a new and humanized clone according to GMP guidelines. We extensively validated the humanized antibody using in vitro cell culture and in vivo animal models for Morbus Parkinson. A key difference and unique feature compared to previous antibody-based approaches is that 5G4 binds to structure-specific, pathologically aggregated SNCA structures, rather than to monomeric SNCA.

For the next developmental phase, we invite strategic partners to join us in translating this innovation into a transformative treatment for patients worldwide. With strong scientific rationale and significant clinical and commercial potential, this program represents an attractive partnering opportunity to advance a first-in-class disease-modifying therapy.