The collaboration focuses on creating sensitive assays for a common genetic risk factor to guide drug development and clinical trials.

Biognosys Group and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) have announced a collaboration to develop sensitive and quantitative biomarker assays for Parkinson’s disease.

The partnership supports MJFF’s LRRK2 Investigative Therapeutics Exchange (LITE), a global initiative designed to accelerate the development of therapies and biomarkers targeting leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2). LRRK2 is the most common genetic risk factor for late-onset Parkinson’s disease.

LRRK2 is currently a primary target in Parkinson’s research, with various therapeutic modalities in development aimed at reducing excessive LRRK2 activity. These approaches may benefit individuals carrying LRRK2 mutations as well as a broader population of patients who share dysregulation in the same biological pathway.

However, the lack of sensitive biomarkers capable of measuring LRRK2 expression and activity has been a barrier to clinical progress. Developing these assays is difficult due to biological complexity and low-abundance signals in clinical samples.

Targeted Proteomics for Clinical Trials

Through the collaboration, Biognosys will use its SISCAPA and TrueSignature targeted proteomics platforms to develop assays for LRRK2 and related downstream biomarkers. These tools are intended for potential deployment in clinical trials to provide pharmacodynamic readouts of therapeutic treatment.

“Successful clinical development requires not only promising therapeutic approaches, but also reliable tools to measure whether those therapies are having their intended biological effect,” says Oliver Rinner, PhD, senior vice president at Biognosys Group, in a release. “By combining Biognosys’ expertise in highly sensitive, quantitative proteomics with MJFF’s collaborative LITE framework, we aim to accelerate the development of biomarkers that can meaningfully guide Parkinson’s drug development and de-risk clinical trials.”

The LITE Initiative

The LITE initiative is a large-scale global collaboration involving more than 50 academic, industry, and clinical partners. The program utilizes an open-science approach, with participants committing to share resources, biosamples, and findings in near real time to advance therapeutic applications.

“Through LITE, the Michael J. Fox Foundation supports collaborative efforts to develop reliable biomarkers that can measure target engagement and biological response in Parkinson’s disease,” says Shalini Padmanabhan, PhD, senior vice president of discovery and translational research at MJFF, in a release. “Investments in sensitive assay development are essential for strengthening the tools needed to advance clinical research and evaluate emerging therapeutic strategies.”

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