Montara Therapeutics Secures $3.3 Million Grant for Parkinson's Research

Montara Therapeutics, a biotech company focused on developing brain-selective therapies for central nervous system diseases, has been awarded a $3.3 million grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. This non-dilutive funding will support Montara in the development of a next-generation BrainOnly LRRK2 inhibitor, intended to avoid peripheral toxicities associated with current therapies that impact organs such as the lung and kidney. The grant comes as part of MJFF’s strategic approach to advance novel therapeutic approaches targeting LRRK2—an area with significant drug development challenges in Parkinson's disease. As part of the initiative, Montara will also participate in MJFF's LRRK2 Investigative Therapeutics Exchange (LITE) program, which provides resources for advancing LRRK2-targeted therapeutics and involves a collaboration across numerous academic and clinical centers worldwide. Montara's innovative platform strategically combines brain-penetrant drugs with peripheral blockers, aiming to overcome the safety barriers that have historically impeded CNS drug development. The collaboration underscores Montara's role in progressing therapeutic prospects within the Parkinson's disease domain.