Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) today announced an extension of its long-standing collaboration with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), a leading organization working to support the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Since 2011, Charles River and MJFF have worked together to accelerate the discovery of therapies for PD. This latest extension includes grants from MJFF to support two projects:
In Vivo Phenotyping
With MJFF support, Charles River has launched a new project, focused on in vivo phenotyping of an α-synuclein knockout model and an α-synuclein A53T knockin model. Over the next two years, Charles River will develop and provide a baseline phenotype of these models, creating invaluable tools to drive discovery programs aimed at bringing novel PD therapies to the clinic.
LRRK2 Inhibitors
Additionally, Charles River and MJFF have renewed a longstanding project to continue advancing efforts to test novel small molecule LRRK2 kinase inhibitors. The inhibition of the kinase LRRK2, which in humans has been genetically linked to development of PD, is a promising novel therapeutic strategy. The goal is to determine optimal dosing strategies to achieve efficacy with LRRK2 inhibitors, while avoiding the lung alterations that have been reported in previous research.
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About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
As
the world’s largest private funder of Parkinson’s research, The Michael
J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s
disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition
today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded,
highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement
of scientists, Parkinson’s patients, business leaders, clinical trial
participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than
$800 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally
altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub
of worldwide Parkinson’s research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking
collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government
research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson’s
disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes
Parkinson’s awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and
outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of
Team Fox members around the world.
About Charles River
Charles River provides essential
products and services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies, government agencies and leading academic institutions around
the globe accelerate their research and drug development efforts. Our
dedicated employees are focused on providing clients with exactly what
they need to improve and expedite the discovery, early-stage development
and safe manufacture of new therapies for the patients who need them. To
learn more about our unique portfolio and breadth of services, visit www.criver.com.
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Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.
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