ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EUROPEAN MEDICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL TRADE MEDIA AND EUROPEAN FINANCIAL MEDIA ONLY
GOTHENBURG, SE / ACCESS Newswire / October 2, 2025 / IRLAB Therapeutics (STO:IRLAB-A)(FRA:6IRA) - Gothenburg, Sweden, October 2, 2025 - IRLAB Therapeutics AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: IRLAB A), a company discovering and developing novel treatments for Parkinson's disease, today announced that its collaborator, - the McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, LLC (MSRD) - has issued a payment of USD 4 million to further advance the drug candidate IRL757 into a clinical safety, tolerability and Signal Finding Study in patients with Parkinson's disease who experience apathy. The first patients are expected to be enrolled before the end of 2025.
"We are excited about the potential of our drug candidate IRL757, now moving rapidly towards a clinical study aiming to detect early signals of efficacy in Parkinson's patients experiencing apathy. So far, we have completed all necessary preparations, including applying for Clinical Trial Authorization from the regulatory authorities in the EU. The scientific and financial support from our collaborator MSRD allows us to efficiently advance the development of this first-in-class drug candidate," says Kristina Torfgård, CEO of IRLAB.
The decision to advance the development of IRL757 into a safety, tolerability and signal finding study (Phase Ib) in Parkinson's disease was based on the results of preclinical pharmacology, toxicology and safety studies and the recent successful completion of Phase I studies in healthy adults and one in healthy adults aged 65 years and older.
Apathy is characterized by indifference, resignation and a lack of response to what is happening in the outside world. The condition often leads to significant disability affecting a substantial proportion of people living with Parkinson's disease, and with other neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, there are no drugs on the market to treat apathy.
IRLAB and MSRD, a member of the global Otsuka family of pharmaceutical companies, formed a collaboration in May 2024 to advance IRL757 through proof-of-concept trials as a potential treatment for apathy.
IRLAB's drug candidate IRL757 has shown positive effects in several preclinical models of cognitive function, including improved motivation. This effect is believed to be associated with the drug candidate's unique ability to counteract disturbances in central nervous system nerve signaling proposed to underly apathy in several neurological conditions.
For more information
Kristina Torfgård, CEO
Phone: +46 730 60 70 99
E-mail: kristina.torfgard@irlab.se
Nicholas Waters, EVP and Head of R&D
Phone: +46 730 75 77 01
E-mail: nicholas.waters@irlab.se
About IRL757
The drug candidate IRL757 is being developed as a treatment for apathy in Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions. Apathy, a widespread and debilitating issue, affects over 20 million people in the U.S. and Europe alone without a currently available treatment. The prevalence is high, occurring in 1.1-4 million people (20-70 percent) being treated with Parkinson's in the eight major markets (China, EU5, Japan, and the US), and in 4.9-6.7 million people (43-59 percent) being treated for Alzheimer's disease in the ten major markets (Canada, China, EU5, Japan, South Korea, and the US).
IRL757 has the potential to become the first treatment for apathy. The efficacy of IRL757 is thought to be linked to its unique ability to reverse disruption in cortical to sub-cortical nerve signalling, a key factor believed to contribute to apathy in neurological disorders.
About IRLAB
IRLAB discovers and develops a portfolio of transformative treatments for all stages of Parkinson's disease. The company originates from Nobel Laureate Prof Arvid Carlsson's research group and the discovery of a link between brain neurotransmitter disorders and brain diseases. Mesdopetam (IRL790), under development for treating levodopa-induced dyskinesias, has completed Phase IIb and is in preparation for Phase III. Pirepemat (IRL752), currently in Phase IIb, is being evaluated for its effect on fall frequency in Parkinson's disease. IRL757, a compound being developed for the treatment of apathy in neurodegenerative disorders, is in Phase I. In addition, the company is developing two preclinical programs, IRL942 and IRL1117, towards Phase I studies. IRLAB's pipeline has been generated by the company's proprietary systems biology-based research platform Integrative Screening Process (ISP). Headquartered in Sweden, IRLAB is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (IRLAB A). For more information, please visit www.irlab.se.
Attachments
IRLAB progresses fully funded IRL757 study in Parkinson's Disease in partnership with MSRD
SOURCE: IRLAB Therapeutics
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/irlab-progresses-fully-funded-irl757-study-in-parkinsons-disease-in-p-1081092
