New Michael J. Fox Foundation research project using MCC950 to treat Parkinson's

Part of the research team who discovered MCC950 - a small molecule inflammasome inhibitor - has been awarded a Therapeutic Pipeline Program Grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

The team includes Prof Matt Cooper, A/Prof Kate Schroder and Dr Avril Robertson (Institute for Molecular Bioscience), and A/Prof Trent Woodruff and Dr Richard Gordon (School of Biomedical Sciences) from The University of Queensland.

Using MCC950, the team has shown that blocking brain inflammation can stop Parkinson's in mouse models of the disease. However, MCC950 has a short life in the body, so this project will design and test new molecules that act the same way, but are more drug-like, last longer, and could be developed as a once-a-day pill to stop brain inflammation.

We hope to prevent Parkinson's disease worsening, or if the drug can be given early enough, stop it happening all together.

Read more about this project on the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research website "Blocking Inflammasome-induced Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Disease with a Potent, Orally Available Small Molecule"