Montara Therapeutics’ Brain-Selective mTOR Program for Parkinson Disease Receives Michael J. Fox Foundation Funding
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Montara Therapeutics received an approximately $1 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
- The preclinical program will use Montara’s BrainOnly platform to evaluate mTOR inhibitors designed to activate brain autophagy while limiting systemic exposure.
Montara Therapeutics (San Francisco, CA) announced that it has received an approximately $1 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to support development of a brain-selective therapeutic strategy targeting the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in Parkinson disease (PD). The funding will support preclinical studies evaluating whether enhanced autophagy—the cellular process involved in clearing damaged proteins and other cellular components—can reduce α-synuclein accumulation, a pathologic hallmark of PD.
This is Montara’s second grant from the MJFF, following a 2025 award supporting development of a brain-selective leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) inhibitor. The new project will use the company’s BrainOnly platform, which combines a brain-penetrant therapeutic with a proprietary peripheral blocker intended to prevent drug activity outside the central nervous system (CNS). According to Montara, this approach is intended to enable engagement of CNS targets while minimizing adverse effects in peripheral tissues.
Preclinical Program Focus
- Researchers will assess clinically used mTOR inhibitors in combination with Montara’s proprietary peripheral blocker.
- Candidate combinations will be tested in cell-based systems and animal models of PD.
- End points include assessment of α-synuclein accumulation, disease-related pathology, and safety.
mTOR inhibition has long been of interest in neurodegenerative disease research because it can promote autophagy and facilitate clearance of toxic protein aggregates. However, systemic mTOR inhibition has been associated with adverse effects, including immunosuppression, impaired wound healing, and metabolic disturbances, limiting its potential use as a neurologic therapy. The current collaboration will evaluate whether restricting mTOR inhibitor activity to the brain can help address these challenges. The program remains in the preclinical stage, and no therapy targeting this approach has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Parkinson disease.
Source
Montara Therapeutics. Montara Therapeutics receives research grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to advance Parkinson’s disease program. News release. GlobeNewswire. June 2, 2026. Accessed June 3, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/02/3305278/0/en/montara-therapeutics-receives-research-grant-from-the-michael-j-fox-foundation-to-advance-parkinson-s-disease-program.html.