Some of the most promising treatments never reach clinical trials because more evidence is needed. Hear from Dr Heather Mortiboys about how her project evaluating these drugs can close that gap and get us closer to a cure.

My name is Dr Heather Mortiboys, I am Professor of Cellular Neuroscience and Metabolism at the University of Sheffield. My research is focused on the role of mitochondria in neurodegenerative conditions, particularly Parkinson’s.

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Thanks to funding from Cure Parkinson’s, I’m leading a new two-year research project that will investigate a selection of promising drugs already reviewed by the International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) committee.

Since 2012, the iLCT programme has reviewed over 170 potentially disease-modifying treatments. Today, nearly 30% of all active disease-modifying trials in Parkinson’s have involved drugs prioritised through this programme. But some of the most promising treatments never reach clinical trial stage because more preclinical evidence is needed, especially around how the drugs work, whether they can reach the brain, and their safety.

This study will help close that gap.

In my lab, we’ll test a number of these drugs using a single, standardised model to generate comparable results across treatments. For the first time, we’ll also be investigating whether certain combinations of drugs may enhance their impact, something that has not yet been explored in Parkinson’s research.

This project could fundamentally change how we prioritise drugs for future clinical trials, bringing us closer to the breakthroughs people with Parkinson’s urgently need.

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Will you make a donation today to support this critical research?

Help get us closer to a cure

Your gift will directly fund this study and help us move the most promising treatments one step closer to people living with Parkinson’s. Thank you for standing with us.

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Lab photos by Simon Vine Photography