GRIFOLS receives grant for biomarker discovery -Bio -Bio -Bio -Parkinson

GRIFOLS receives grant for biomarker discovery -Bio -Bio -Bio -Parkinson

Grifols, a global healthcare company and leading producer of plasma-derived medicines, today announced that it has received a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) to identify biomarkers on plasma that could predict a person's likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) many years before clinical diagnosis. The initiative, called “Chronos-PD,” could accelerate the discovery of new diagnostic tools as well as the identification and development of new disease-modifying therapeutics.

PD affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide. It occurs when brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die. Despite decades of research and treatment support, understanding of the drivers of the disease remains limited.

Today, doctors use a combination of a person's medical history, physical exam, and imaging tests to diagnose PD. By the time the disorder is identified, it is often too late to slow the progression much less reverse the damage. This leaves early detection biomarkers as one of the most pressing needs to make further progress in therapeutic interventions to stop the disease before it is too late.

The $21 million award will fund a pilot study to analyze longitudinal plasma samples for up to 10 years. This allows researchers to track how different plasma proteins evolve over time in people with PD, which could help establish an early warning system for the development of the disease.

Grifols' repository of PD plasma samples is just a fraction of the more than 100 million samples the company has collected for nearly 15 years. The proprietary bank is one of the world's largest collections of biospecimen and contains plasma representing thousands of disease conditions, all linked to real-world health data. The same analyzes applied to the PD samples can be replicated in other diseases and disease states in many therapeutic areas.

The unique plasma assets serve as the foundation of Chronos-PD drug discovery.

“Our groundbreaking initiative leverages Grifols' unique repository of well-prepared plasma samples, the most comprehensive technology platforms and our unique plasma proteomics expertise,” said Dr. Jörg Schüttrumpf, Chief Scientific Innovation Officer at Grifols. "If you go back in time to look for the earliest signs of PD, it has the potential to revolutionize PD management. The hope is our vision is that this platform will continue to grow in knowledge, partnerships and its ability to help society advance some of the most pressing public health challenges."

At MJFF, our mission is to accelerate breakthroughs for people living with Parkinson's by funding diverse and innovative approaches. Identifying reliable biomarkers for Parkinson's disease is critical to unlocking earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. Grifols' research into a plasma-based biomarker to detect PD at its earliest stages - before progression begins - aims to help us understand the biology of individuals who may be at risk and pave the way for transformative breakthroughs in care and prevention. “

Shalini Padmanabhan, Senior Vice President of Translational Research, MJFF

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