NRG Therapeutics attracts a further £16m to develop treatments that could slow Parkinson's

The £16m investment is being led by American life sciences investment firm Omega Funds and joined by the Australian life sciences venture capital firm Brandon Capital. As part of this new investment, the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech has contributed £2m. It underlines the significant progress that has been made to date by the NRG team.

This funding will help accelerate the next stage of its research to bring us closer to a potential drug that could slow the progression of Parkinson’s, something that no current treatment can do. The funding will also enable the company to complete the necessary steps to prepare for clinical trials.

Since 2019, Parkinson’s UK has been supporting the Stevenage-based biotech by investing in its pioneering research through the Parkinson's Virtual Biotech programme. The Virtual Biotech is an international drug discovery and development programme. It was founded by Parkinson’s UK in 2017 and is now a global initiative to make sure projects with the greatest potential to transform life for people with Parkinson’s are invested in and accelerated through the research pipeline. 

From seed funding to significant progress

In just 5 years, the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech has built a diverse portfolio of 11 active projects, spanning the research pipeline from drug discovery to clinical trials.

The Virtual Biotech provides seed funding for promising research. This innovative approach helps stop progress from stalling due to a lack of external funders. It also drives forward the development of much needed new treatments for people with Parkinson's.

This latest investment shows the value of the Virtual Biotech model. It allows charity funding to get research projects to a stage where they become attractive to larger investors.

New molecules that could slow or stop Parkinson's

NRG Therapeutics is developing new drug-like molecules that target the energy-producing mitochondria inside brain cells. Recently, researchers have discovered a direct link between faulty or damaged mitochondria and the loss of these cells in Parkinson’s.

The researchers hope to protect brain cells, to develop a treatment that may slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's and motor neurone disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Dr Arthur Roach, Director of Research at Parkinson's UK and Chair of the NRG Therapeutics board, said:

"Today there are 145,000 people in the UK who have Parkinson's. Slowly, day by day, their condition is getting worse and there are no treatments available that can slow this progression. At Parkinson’s UK, we're dedicated to finding better treatments and we’re excited by the research happening with NRG Therapeutics.

"This latest news is reflective of the innovative approach of the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech. It works like a commercial biotech driven by the priorities of people with Parkinson’s, not profit. It will invest in research where others won’t, providing the seed funding for the most promising Parkinson’s research. This is now showing results, getting projects to a stage where they become attractive to other investors. We think it's a bold approach, and one that works.  

"The Virtual Biotech started 5 years ago and is now a global collaboration of like minded partners, like the Parkinson’s Foundation. It has a single mission to deliver new treatments, in years, not decades."