The Parkinson’s Foundation and Parkinson’s UK have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate research for new Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatments.

Through the partnership, the foundation will invest at least $3 million over the next three years in the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech, the drug development arm of Parkinson’s UK. Led by pharmaceutical and biotechnology experts, the Virtual Biotech team reviews current PD studies to identify projects with strong potential that would otherwise struggle to find private-sector investors, invest in these directly, provide oversight and stewardship, and identify global partners. Parkinson’s UK has invested more than $19 million (£16 million) in Virtual Biotech projects since launching the program in 2017.

Currently, the program is fast-tracking nine projects, including the potential of cannabidiol to treat psychosis in PD, the potential of a common anti-sickness drug to manage hallucinations, and the potential of developing therapies that restore mitochondrial function to slow or stop the condition. The Parkinson’s Foundation has previously supported the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech with a grant in 2019.

“We are pleased to partner with Parkinson’s UK to further drug discovery development, as part of our newly established Venture Philanthropy Fund, that will help the international Parkinson’s community,” said Parkinson’s Foundation president and CEO John L. Lehr. “This collaboration will help us better serve people living with Parkinson’s today, while furthering the promise of a cure tomorrow.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Davor Livincic)