
Spanish firm Grifols has received $21 million from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fund a pilot study analyzing the company's repository of longitudinal Parkinson's disease (PD) plasma samples.
Grifols, which operates 390 plasma collection centers in North America and around the world, envisions the development of an early-warning system for the emergence of Parkinson's disease. Grifols said it has collected more than 100 million biospecimens representing thousands of disease states, including Parkinson's.
Called Chronos-PD, the pilot program will cover a period of up to 10 years and is aimed at tracking how distinct plasma proteins evolve over time in people with Parkinson's disease, according to Grifols. The company noted that its subsidiary Alkahest will lead the initiative, using artificial intelligence (AI) and integrative analysis of multiomics and real-world data.
“Going back in time to search for the earliest signs of PD, even before symptoms appear, has potential to revolutionize PD management," stated Grifols chief scientific innovation officer Dr. Jörg Schüttrumpf in the announcement.
"The hope is to accelerate and ultimately develop new diagnostics and disease-modifying therapeutics that could mitigate or even prevent the condition from manifesting itself," Schüttrumpf said. "Our vision is that this platform continues to grow in terms of knowledge, partnerships and its ability to help society advance in fighting some of the world’s most pressing public health challenges.”
Grifols added that the company is focused on treating conditions across a broad range of therapeutic areas -- immunology, hepatology and intensive care, pulmonology, hematology, neurology, and infectious diseases -- using its plasma-derived medicines and transfusion medicine.