Lario Therapeutics Gets $2.4M for CNS Disorder Research

- Lario Therapeutics, a 2021 spin-out from Epidarex Exeed, is led by co-founder and CEO Henning Steinhagen. - The $1.5 million from The Michael J. Fox Foundation will advance research on the CaV1.3 calcium channel, which the foundation's "Targets to Therapies" initiative has prioritized as a promising drug target for Parkinson's. - The Wellcome grant of $900,000 will be used to validate the CaV2.3 calcium channel as a target for PTSD, building on recent genetic research that links variations in the gene encoding CaV2.3 to an increased risk of the condition. - As part of the Parkinson's project, Lario will collaborate with Professor Richard Wade‑Martins and the Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre to test its compounds in patient-derived stem-cell models. - The company's central hypothesis is that excessive calcium levels make dopamine neurons vulnerable to the stresses that lead to Parkinson's disease, and their goal is to develop an oral medication to protect these neurons. - This award follows a previous $6 million grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation to Lario in 2024, which supported preclinical research on CaV2.3 inhibitors as a potential disease-modifying treatment. - Lario's work on CaV2.3 has also been recognized for its potential in treating severe genetic epilepsies, receiving the “Company Making a Difference Award” at the 2023 CDLK5 Forum. - Altered calcium signaling and the resulting cellular stress are implicated in a range of neurological conditions, including epilepsy, neurodegeneration, and the consequences of traumatic brain injury.