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Lille, France – June 1st 2022 – Alzprotect, a French biopharmaceutical company involved in the development of new therapeutic solutions in the neurodegenerative diseases area, today announced it has been awarded a USD $338,000 grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to develop the first-in-class brain penetrant small molecule targeting Progranulin (PGRN).

This grant will further expand Alzprotect’s research efforts to develop AZP2006 (INN Ezeprogind) into a new therapeutic area: Parkinson's disease (PD), with a focus on the GBA1 mutation-associated with Parkinson's disease (PD/GBA1). The grant will fund an early-stage program at Alzprotect to study the effects of AZP2006 in models of PD based on loss of function from preliminary results and a strong rationale. The objectives are to investigate the target engagement of AZP2006 and to perform a proof-of-concept (POC) study in an animal model of PD/GBA1. 

Dr. Noelle Callizot, CSO declared: “We are pleased and very proud to have the scientific and financial support of the MJFF.  The novel mode of action of AZP2006 involving the lysosome and progranulin allows us to consider the development of AZP2006 in PD/GBA1 patients.  The excellent safety profile of AZP2006 makes it a promising candidate drug for these patients. We thank MJFF for its financial assistance in contributing to the achievement of our research goals.”  

Dr. Philippe Verwaerde, President and CEO of Alzprotect, said, " We are very proud of the recognition of our preliminary research advances in Parkinson’s and of the potential of our lead compound AZP2006 based on progranulin modulation. This research progress is materialized today by this grant from the Foundation.” 

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