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This story is from January 25, 2019

Parkinson's: Mysuru firm to find therapeutic candidates using Bengaluru research

A major reason for diseases like Parkinson’s is aggregation of toxic proteins and inefficient autophagy or the complete lack of it, thereby resulting in the death of cells in the brain (neurodegeneration). Now the Bengaluru scientists who had found a new molecule that can enhance the efficiency of the autophagy will now identify therapeutic candidates.
Parkinson's: Mysuru firm to find therapeutic candidates using Bengaluru research
<p>The Collabortion team from JNCASR and Vipragen consists (Lto R) Prof K S Narayan, Dean, Research and Development, Prof V Nagaraja, President, Sourabh Gargav, Head BD & Technology Promotion, Dr Chandrashekaran S, Prof Uday Ranga, Dr Ravi Manjithaya and Dr Chaitra Harsha.</p><p><br></p>
Bengaluru: In a breakthrough in May 2017, scientists in Bengaluru had found a new molecule that can enhance the efficiency of the autophagy—our body’s own housekeeping mechanism: A process where healthy cells clean up toxic proteins preventing them from aggregating and killing the cells—in brain cells, which can significantly reduce degeneration of brain cells, the cause for diseases like Parkinson’s.

The TOI had then reported that this was seen as a potential drug, and the scientists led by Ravi Manjithaya from the Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit (MBGU) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) had initiated procedures to take it to the next level.
Now, Vipragen Bioscience, a Mysuru-based biotech company has collaborated with JNCASR to identify therapeutic candidates for Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s.
Confirming this, S Chandrashekaran, founder-chairman, Vipragen, said: “Using Manjithaya's process, JNSCAR has screened a large number of small molecule libraries and identified the novel neuroprotective pharmacological entities.Vipragen, being an integrated pre-clinical drug discovery and development company, will carry forward the drug candidates that are already proven for neuroprotection in preclinical animal models.”
A major reason for diseases like Parkinson’s is aggregation of toxic proteins and inefficient autophagy or the complete lack of it, thereby resulting in the death of cells in the brain (neurodegeneration).
Addressing this issue, the new molecule called “6-Bio,” discovered by scientists at JNCASR acts an autophagy modulator.
“...6-Bio is capable of restoring autophagy and help clearance of toxic protein aggregates, which otherwise form clumps and eventually kill neurons (brain cells),” Ravi Manjithaya had told TOI.

Arguing that NDs are age-related, devastating, debilitating, life threatening and drastically downgrade the quality of life, Chaitra Harsha, MD, Vipragen, said: “We can use the proprietary platform to identify the new drug candidates for neurodegeneration. The complimentary capabilities of the two partners will enable to address the unmet need in the area neurodegenerative diseases and discover and develop drugs.”
What 6-Bio Does?
The new molecule—a potential drug—enables neuroprotection by autophagy. It augments the efficiency of the autophagy process by enhancing the Basal Level (the speed at which autophagy happens) by multifolds.
“Simply put, it quickens the process of our cells taking the bad proteins, which have formed clumps, to the cleanroom,” Manjithaya said.
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