Lario Therapeutics has secured $2.4 million in new grant funding from The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and Wellcome to accelerate the development of its neuronal calcium channel drug discovery platform. The Edinburgh‑based biopharmaceutical company focuses on first‑in‑class precision medicines for epileptic and neurological disorders.
The awards will enable Lario to broaden its work on selective small‑molecule inhibitors of voltage‑gated neuronal calcium channels. As part of this expansion, the company is advancing programmes in Parkinson’s disease and initiating research in post‑traumatic stress disorder, identified as a high‑priority indication.
A $1.5 million grant from The Michael J Fox Foundation will support progress on CaV1.3‑linked Parkinson’s disease biology, a target the foundation has highlighted as one of the most promising through its Targets to Therapies initiative.
In parallel, Wellcome has awarded $900,000 to further validate CaV2.3 as a target in PTSD, following large‑scale human genetics research linking variation in the CACNA1E gene to increased risk of the condition. This complements a previously announced $6 million grant from The Michael J Fox Foundation in 2024 to explore CaV2.3 inhibition across central nervous system disorders.
Henning Steinhagen, Chief Executive Officer of Lario Therapeutics, said: “Lario was founded to translate strong human genetics and neuronal biology into precision medicines for patients with severe neurological disease. We are grateful for the continued support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the funding from Wellcome which support us to advance these unique programmes towards the clinic, taking us one step closer to providing meaningful treatments for patients with high unmet need.”
Tom Otis, Chief Scientific Officer, Lario Therapeutics, explained: “These awards recognise the growing body of evidence linking neuronal calcium channel dysfunction to the core biology of neurological and psychiatric diseases. By combining selective small-molecule chemistry with rigorous target biology, we are building a unique platform designed to deliver precision therapies for patients suffering from epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Alongside this grant‑funded expansion, the company continues to develop its leading CaV2.3 programme for severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, with phase‑enabling studies planned for 2026.
