As we complete our fourth year of pursuing and investing in research with the goal of discovering new therapies for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease in GBA mutation carriers, we are proud of our many accomplishments and the collaborative relationships we continue to create.
Exciting New Grants in 2021
- AcureX Therapeutics received funding to support the development of novel, first-in-class, small molecule drug candidates for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. AcureX has discovered proprietary targets and drugs that reactivate mitophagy in PD patients by stopping improper signaling to the mitochondrial protein Miro1. AcureX is advancing this new class of therapeutics as potentially disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of PD.
- The Silverstein Foundation provided a grant to Professor Hagai Bergman, MD, DSc, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Hadassah Medical Center, in support of his research around the use of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in GBA PD patients. The primary goal of the study is to find a biomarker that will predict the clinical outcome of DBS for GBA-PD patients. The secondary goal is to optimize DBS procedures for GBA (and other) PD patients.
Updates on previous grants
- In September, Vanqua Bio, which was launched in 2019 and received additional funding from the Foundation in 2020, closed an $85 million Series B financing round. Proceeds from the financing are being used to accelerate the development of the company's innovative therapeutic programs in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Q-State Biosciences achieved primary program completion milestones in its research collaboration with Chamishi Therapeutics. Q-State received a grant from The Silverstein Foundation in September of 2019. Vanqua Bio acquired Chamishi in early 2021.
Projects on the horizon
- We are currently reviewing proposals from three different entities, one of which will involve collaborative funding between several major Parkinson's foundations from around the globe. It is too soon to provide specific details, but we are hopeful that we will be making several important grants during the first quarter of 2022. Stay tuned for updates!