The public-private collaboration of Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Inc and LIH aims to explore the use of  DJ-1-targeting small molecule drug candidates in immune-associated diseases.

The agreement between the two entities will allow to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the company’s novel, proprietary small molecule drug candidates targeting the DJ-1 protein for their potential of treating immune-associated diseases. The partnership brings together Cantabio’s novel approach to targeting the DJ-1 protein and LIH’s research excellence in immune-associated diseases.DJ-1 is well known as an important target for the treatment of a number of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.

Cantabio has been developing novel small molecule therapeutic program targeting the DJ-1 protein with a focus on Parkinson’s and also exploring a number of other disease areas. In recent years, LIH’s Department of Infection and Immunity, particularly Dr Feng He’s group Immune Systems Biology, has intensively explored the immunological roles of DJ-1 in both animal disease models and patients.

''We are excited to be working with Cantabio on investigating these DJ-1 targeting compounds in the area of complex immune-associated diseases, where we at LIH have a strong record of research. We really believe that this approach holds promise for the development of potent therapies in this area of great unmet need.’

‘We are delighted to be working with LIH on this exciting program, which allows us to continue to develop our therapeutic programs into new disease areas. We believe our focus on the DJ-1 protein as a therapeutic target allows us to address multiple different conditions with an entirely novel approach and thus provide new options to tackle these diseases that have little in the way of effective therapies. This agreement continues our strategy of working with world leading researchers to develop our programs in new and exciting directions.’

states Cantabio’s CEO, Dr Gergely Toth.