Michael J. Fox Foundation Grant to Evaluate the Therapeutic Potential of Paxalisib as a Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

A grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is helping scientists explore whether an existing experimental drug, paxalisib, could have potential benefits for Parkinson’s disease. Originally developed as a cancer treatment, paxalisib is now being studied to see if it might help address key pathways involved in Parkinson’s. The research, led by Dr. Ronit Sharon at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will focus on a biological pathway called phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which may be overactive in Parkinson’s. Since paxalisib is designed to target this pathway and can reach the brain, scientists are investigating whether it could have therapeutic effects. In a laboratory study using a Parkinson’s mouse model, researchers will give the drug orally for 28 days and assess its impact on brain health, Parkinson’s-related proteins, and symptoms. The goal is to understand whether paxalisib could influence both motor and nonmotor aspects of the disease. Kazia Therapeutics, the company developing paxalisib, sees this collaboration as an important step in understanding Parkinson’s at a deeper level. While this research is still in its early stages, it represents a promising effort to explore new possibilities for treatment.