Kannalife Secures Funding of $1.49 Million from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
June 25 2024 - 8:30AM
Kannalife Sciences, Inc., a pioneering biotech company dedicated to
developing small molecule therapeutics targeting inflammation, is
pleased to announce it has been awarded funding of $1,493,409
million from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
(MJFF). This grant will support preclinical research of Kannalife’s
lead therapeutic KLS-13019 by investigating its effects on
neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, which are
implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing
neurodegenerative movement disorder affecting up to 2% of those
aged 60 years or older.
Douglas Brenneman, PhD, Chief Pharmacologist at
Kannalife Sciences and Principal Investigator of the study,
expressed gratitude for the Foundation's support, stating, "We are
honored to receive this grant support from The Michael J. Fox
Foundation, a leading organization dedicated to accelerating the
development of improved therapies for Parkinson's disease. We are
confident that we can make meaningful progress toward this goal
and, ultimately, improve the lives of patients living with
Parkinson's."
Kannalife Sciences, located at the Pennsylvania
Biotechnology Center (PABC) in Doylestown, PA, is leveraging its
globally patented technology into neuroinflammatory disorders
targeting the novel G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), GPR55 and
the NLRP3 inflammasome. Advanced preclinical research and IND
enabling studies to date have validated KLS-13019’s effects on
biological targets in the mitochondria including mNCX-1, with the
aim of addressing unmet needs in inflammatory diseases. KLS-13019’s
promising preclinical results in models of neuroinflammation and
oxidative stress, portend to be key factors of neurodegeneration in
Parkinson's disease.
Jessica Tome Garcia, PhD, associate director of
research programs at MJFF, stated, "We look forward to seeing the
results of Kannalife Sciences’ innovative work on KLS-13019. This
funding highlights the Foundation’s commitment to advancing
Parkinson’s therapeutic research by addressing neuroinflammation
and mitochondrial dysfunction, two key factors in the disease."
Dr. Brenneman further stated, “This grant
represents a significant milestone in our research efforts. Special
thanks to the whole team at Kannalife, especially Dean Petkanas for
his persistence and dedication in mobilizing KLS-13019 into a
potential therapeutic for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. I
also want to thank our research partners Prof. Dr. Med. Chi Wang Ip
of Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Tom H. Johnston, PhD of Atuka,
Inc. and James P. Koprich, MA, PhD, for taking the time and effort
to put an outstanding study protocol together for our research
program in PD.”
Through research efforts with MJFF and other
partners, the company aims to accelerate the development of
KLS-13019 and pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions in
Parkinson’s disease and beyond.
KLS-13019 is currently undergoing small
pre-clinical model efficacy, chemical scale-up, and toxicology
studies supported by an STTR Phase 2 study grant from the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the HEAL Initiative.
Successful completion of these IND enabling studies will allow
initiation of human clinical studies for the treatment of
chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This financial
support underscores the broad scientific validation of this
promising therapeutic agent.
About the Pennsylvania Biotechnology
Center (PABC):The PABC is a nonprofit life sciences
incubator-accelerator providing state-of-the-art laboratory and
office space to early-stage biotech companies, the Hepatitis B
Foundation, and the Blumberg Institute. Managed by the Institute
and overseen by a Foundation-appointed board, PABC supports nearly
80 member companies fostering success through biotech advancements
and collaborations. Located near Doylestown in the Philadelphia-New
Jersey pharma belt, the PABC website offers further information,
visit www.pabiotechbc.org.
About Kannalife
SciencesKannalife Sciences, Inc. is a pioneering biotech
company specializing in the development of small molecule synthetic
cannabinoid therapeutics targeting inflammation. Headquartered at
the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County in
Doylestown, PA, Kannalife Sciences is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Neuropathix, Inc. For more information about Kannalife, visit
www.kannalife.com and the Company’s Twitter page at @kannalife.
Contacts:
Media RelationsThoma KikisChief
Communications OfficerP: +1-917-652-2479E:
thoma@kannalife.comwww.kannalife.com