Erisyon Awarded Michael J. Fox Foundation Grant To Validate Methods for Early Parkinson’s Detection

Erisyon, the company that is transforming how we detect, treat, and monitor disease, has today revealed that it is the recipient of a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF). Erisyon will use the funds to deploy the power of single molecule protein sequencing for the detection and validation of biomarkers that have the potential for early detection of the disease.

“Understanding the molecular pathology of Parkinson’s has been one of the major challenges facing researchers,” said Luis Oliveria, Associate Director of Research Programs, The Michael J. Fox Foundation. “We look forward to the results of Erisyon’s study.”

Members of the Erisyon team have been at the forefront of proteomics research. The discoveries they have sparked have enabled researchers to predict functions for proteins, providing greater insight into the role proteins play in diseases. With this grant, the Erisyon team will test new methods that could provide clinicians with diagnostic tools for early identification of Parkinson’s disease.

“Our single molecule assay will help untangle the mysteries of using alpha-synuclein as a potential diagnostic biomarker,” said Talli Somekh, CEO, Erisyon. “This technology can help to identify the smaller aggregate proteins that cause Parkinson’s before they form large, insoluble particles in the brain. With the support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, our study aims to quantify very accurately the biomarker for Parkinson’s at a much earlier stage of the disease.”

Erisyon was founded by a group of technologists and entrepreneurs emerging from the University of Texas at Austin with the ambition to usher in new discoveries in personalized medicine and drug delivery through a better understanding of proteins.