Edinburgh-based Lario Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing precision medicines for epileptic and neurological disorders, has received $2.4 million in grant funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) and Wellcome to support the expansion of its neuronal calcium channel drug discovery platform.
“This funding, awarded by two highly respected organisations, provides significant validation of Lario’s work on selective small-molecule inhibitors of voltage-gated neuronal calcium channels,” said the Edinburgh firm.
“With the proceeds of these awards, Lario is expanding its work in Parkinson’s disease and exploring an additional high-priority indication – post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“The $1.5m grant from MJFF supports the progression of Lario’s work on CaV1.3-linked Parkinson’s disease biology, a target with strong mechanistic relevance to disease progression.
“CaV1.3 has recently been highlighted by MJFF as one of the most promising drug targets through its Targets to Therapies initiative, an expert-led programme designed to prioritise and de-risk disease-modifying targets in Parkinson’s disease.
“In tandem, Lario has also received a $900k (£700k) grant from Wellcome to further validate CaV2.3 as a target in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), building on recent large-scale human genetics research linking variation in the gene encoding CaV2.3 (CACNA1E) to increased risk of the condition.
“This award complements Lario’s previously announced $6m grant by MJFF in 2024, supporting preclinical work on CaV2.3 as a potential disease-modifying approach for Parkinson’s disease, and to explore the therapeutic potential of selective CaV2.3 inhibition across a range of central nervous system disorders.”
Lario Therapeutics CEO Henning Steinhagen said: “Lario was founded to translate strong human genetics and neuronal biology into precision medicines for patients with severe neurological disease.
“We are grateful for the continued support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the funding from Wellcome which support us to advance these unique programmes towards the clinic, taking us one step closer to providing meaningful treatments for patients with high unmet need.”
Tom Otis, Chief Scientific Officer, Lario Therapeutics, said: “These awards recognise the growing body of evidence linking neuronal calcium channel dysfunction to the core biology of neurological and psychiatric diseases. By combining selective small-molecule chemistry with rigorous target biology, we are building a unique platform designed to deliver precision therapies for patients suffering from epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.”