Kannalife Receives $1.49M Funding from Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Kannalife Sciences, Inc., a biotech company based in Doylestown, PA, has secured a grant of $1,493,409 from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). This funding will support preclinical studies of their leading therapeutic compound, KLS-13019, which aims to address neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, two critical aspects of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Parkinson’s disease, a rapidly growing neurodegenerative disorder, afflicts up to 2% of individuals aged 60 and above. With this grant, Kannalife aims to make significant strides in understanding and potentially mitigating the disease's progression.

Douglas Brenneman, PhD, Chief Pharmacologist at Kannalife Sciences and Principal Investigator of the study, expressed gratitude for the grant, highlighting the importance of MJFF's support in the quest to develop improved Parkinson’s therapies. He emphasized the potential impact of their research on improving the lives of those affected by Parkinson's.

Kannalife Sciences is headquartered at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) and focuses on developing small molecule therapeutics for neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. Their research targets novel biological markers such as GPR55 and the NLRP3 inflammasome. The company's proprietary technology has shown promising results in preclinical studies, particularly in terms of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which are significant factors in neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's.

Jessica Tome Garcia, PhD, associate director of research programs at MJFF, expressed optimism about Kannalife’s innovative work on KLS-13019, underscoring the Foundation's commitment to advancing research that addresses key aspects of Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Brenneman also acknowledged the contributions of the Kannalife team, especially Dean Petkanas, for their dedication to advancing KLS-13019 as a potential treatment for Parkinson's. He also thanked research partners, including Prof. Dr. Med. Chi Wang Ip of Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Tom H. Johnston, PhD of Atuka, Inc., and James P. Koprich, MA, PhD, for their efforts in developing a robust study protocol for the research program.

Through collaborations with MJFF and other partners, Kannalife aims to expedite the development of KLS-13019, potentially leading to novel therapeutic interventions for Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

KLS-13019 is currently undergoing preclinical efficacy, chemical scale-up, and toxicology studies, supported by a Phase 2 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the NIH’s HEAL Initiative. The successful completion of these studies will pave the way for human clinical trials targeting chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), further validating the therapeutic potential of KLS-13019.

The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC), where Kannalife is based, is a nonprofit incubator-accelerator supporting early-stage biotech companies. It provides advanced laboratory and office space and fosters success through biotech advancements and collaborations. Located near Doylestown, the center is part of the Philadelphia-New Jersey pharma belt, offering a conducive environment for biotech innovation.

Kannalife Sciences, Inc., a subsidiary of Neuropathix, Inc., specializes in developing small molecule synthetic cannabinoid therapeutics aimed at treating inflammation. The company is committed to pioneering advancements in the biotech field, with a particular focus on addressing unmet medical needs in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.