Parkinsons’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive degenerative movement disorder that affects over 1.5 million Americans. Currently marketed dopamine replacement therapy can alleviate motor symptoms in PD, but there are no therapies that target the underlying neurodegenerative processes. Despite intense research, molecular mechanisms causing neuronal loss are not fully understood which has hampered the development of new drugs and disease modifying therapies.

Neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction with associated oxidative/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress all work synergistically to accelerate Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression.

There is urgent need for novel therapies that can protect neurons and halt or reverse disease progression

Despite emergence of innovative therapies, cancer remains among the leading causes of death globally. Chemotherapy remains a frontline treatment for many malignancies but accumulating evidence suggests that chemotherapy and radiation generated tumor cell debris (e.g., apoptotic and necrotic cells) promote tumor growth and metastasis - possibly through generation of proinflammatory eicosanoids and suppression of cancer-immunity cycle. Immunotherapies are emerging as novel treatment options for many malignancies but poor response rate and adverse events associated with overactivation of the immune system leads to discontinuation of therapy, hospital admission, or management with systemic immunosuppressive drugs.

There is high need for novel therapies that can improve the response rate and regulate the immune response.

Peripheral neuropathy is a serious nerve damage complication that affects over 16 million Americans and is causally linked to a number of diseases including diabetes, cancer, shingles, infections such as HIV, chronic back pain, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. The most commonly prescribed drug classes for neuropathic pain such as antidepressants, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, anticonvulsants and opioids, have limited efficacy and dose-limiting adverse effects. No single agent provides optimal balance of safety, tolerability, and efficacy. As a result, treatment of peripheral neuropathy continues to be characterized by a high rate of polypharmacy and switching from one agent to another.

All currently approved treatments for painful peripheral neuropathy provide only symptomatic relief.

There are no FDA-approved therapies for prevention or reversal of peripheral neuropathy.

There is urgent need for non-opioid, safe and effective therapies for neuropathic and chronic pain.