STOCKHOLM, Sweden, October 7, 2026. KDventures AB (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDV) today announces that its portfolio company Umecrine Cognition AB ("Umecrine Cognition") will participate in The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Conference (PDTC) 2026. In connection with the conference, Umecrine Cognition has also been invited to participate in an invitation-only pre-conference showcase featuring companies from MJFF's therapeutics funding portfolio.
At PDTC, which takes place on 14-15 October 2026 in New York City, Umecrine Cognition will present new preclinical data showing that golexanolone was associated with improvements in both motor and non-motor symptoms in a progressive, a-synuclein-driven model of Parkinson's disease. The findings complement previously reported results from the established 6-OHDA model, in which golexanolone demonstrated sustained improvements in motor and non-motor symptoms together with reduced neuroinflammation and normalization of disease-related biomarkers.
The new data therefore extend the evidence for golexanolone across two mechanistically distinct Parkinson's disease models. In the a-synuclein-driven model, treatment was associated with improvements in fatigue, coordination and anhedonia, a symptom of depression. The replicated findings support the translational rationale for Umecrine Cognition's GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA) pharmacology and its potential application in Parkinson's disease.
The work is being further investigated through studies supported by MJFF's Therapeutics Pipeline Program, which supports preclinical and clinical research designed to evaluate potential therapeutic approaches for Parkinson's disease. The grant supports the collaboration between Umecrine Cognition and Professor Gilberto Fisone at Karolinska Institutet, with additional preclinical studies being conducted at the Príncipe Felipe Research Center in Spain.
"Non-motor symptoms remain an important unmet need in Parkinson's disease, and advancing new therapeutic approaches requires rigorous evidence at the preclinical stage," said Shalini Padmanabhan, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Translational Research at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. "The studies supported through this award will help generate the preclinical evidence needed to evaluate golexanolone's effects on disease-related symptoms and biology and determine whether this therapeutic approach warrants further advancement toward clinical development."
"The invitation from The Michael J. Fox Foundation and the opportunity to present these new data to leading researchers and industry participants is an important recognition of Umecrine Cognition's Parkinson's program. The replicated efficacy across two mechanistically distinct disease models strengthens the scientific foundation for evaluating golexanolone further in Parkinson's disease. The conference will also provide an important forum for scientific dialogue and business development as Umecrine Cognition assesses the next steps for the program," says Viktor Drvota, CEO of KDventures and Umecrine Cognition.
Contacts
Viktor Drvota, CEO, KDventures AB
Phone: +46 73 982 52 02, e-mail: viktor.drvota@kd-ventures.com
Johan Dighed, General Counsel and Deputy CEO, KDventures AB
Phone: +46 70 207 48 26, e-mail: johan.dighed@kd-ventures.com
About Us
KDventures AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDV) is a Nordic investment company specialized in life sciences. The company identifies and invests in innovative pharmaceutical projects and medical technology products originating from leading research institutions in the Nordic region. Through a diversified portfolio across various stages of development, professional due diligence, and active board engagement, KDventures creates value from early research to commercialization. The company offers investors exposure to both listed and private life science projects with significant value growth potential.
For more information, please visit https://www.kd-ventures.com/en.
