Cure Parkinson’s iLCT Pipeline Research Acceleration Programme opens new funding call

Cure Parkinson’s is excited to announce the opening of the iLCT Pipeline Research Acceleration Programme for February 2026. We are welcoming applications to investigate secukinumab in an alpha-synuclein model of Parkinson’s.

What is the iLCT Pipeline Research Acceleration Programme?

Each year, a committee of over 20 world-leading Parkinson’s experts meet to evaluate, rank, and prioritise potentially disease-modifying drugs for Parkinson’s as part of our International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) programme. The goal of this initiative is to accelerate the movement of drugs through the development pipeline by prioritising the most promising candidates for clinical testing.

Sometimes, drugs reviewed by the committee show potential but lack a specific piece of preclinical evidence to move them forward. To speed up this process, Cure Parkinson’s launched the iLCT Pipeline Research Acceleration programme. Unlike our Quarterly Grant Call, this programme commissions researchers to conduct a specific project, which is outlined based on recommendations by the iLCT committee. Since its launch in 2022, we have funded four projects through this programme, evaluating a total of seven drugs.  

What project are we looking for?

This time, we are asking researchers to investigate secukinumab in an alpha-synuclein model of Parkinson’s. Secukinumab is a medication currently used to treat inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, active arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. It works by blocking the activity of a specific pro-inflammatory protein, interleukin-17A, therefore preventing the initiation of an immune response.

Secukinumab has been evaluated twice by the iLCT committee, first in 2018 and again in 2025 due to new evidence being published. The committee have suggested that additional data is needed before secukinumab can progress into a clinical trial, specifically how it performs in alpha-synuclein models of Parkinson’s.

Where can I apply?

More details on the project outline and application process can be found on our webpage for the iLCT Pipeline Research Acceleration Programme. We will be accepting applications until Tuesday, 7 April 2026.

As part of this call, we will be hosting two optional Q&A sessions for potential applicants ahead of the deadline. The purpose of these sessions will be to provide potential applicants with more details about the iLCT process, IL-17A as a target, and secukinumab. We will also review the application form and answer any questions applicants may have about this funding call. Applicants can sign up for these sessions on the grant page.

This funding call drives the preclinical research needed to advance promising candidates, like secukinumab, towards clinical testing for Parkinson’s. When important evidence is still missing, focused preclinical research can help move these drugs forward.  I encourage researchers with expertise in alpha-synuclein models of Parkinson’s, across academia and industry, to consider applying to this funding call.

Dr Rachel Hughes, Preclinical Manager, Cure Parkinson’s