IRLAB’s goal is to develop a successful treatment that combats severe motor and psychotic symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder affecting more than 6 million people worldwide. It is a neurological disorder with one of the highest increases in death rates, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Levodopa, introduced more than 50 years ago, remains the most prescribed treatment for the symptomatic relief of PD, although its long-term is strongly associated to the development of motor complications, i.e. levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD-LIDs) and psychosis in PD (PD-P). PD-P is both treatment-related and has disease-related components as well.
The overall objectives of this SME Phase 1 project were to optimise the business plan that will guide the exploitation and commercialisation of IRLAB’s novel candidate drug IRL790. It is a First in Class drug that offers improvements in both motor (LIDs) and mental (psychosis) symptom domains without exacerbating parkinsonism. Other goals were to analyse competitive landscape, prepare detailed plans for the clinical studies, and assess IRL790’s potential for the company’s growth.