Michael J. Fox Foundation Launches Target Validation Program for Parkinson’s Therapies

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has begun funding its first target validation projects under the multi-year Targets to Therapies (T2T) Initiative, announced in a press release. The program aims to advance new biological targets for Parkinson’s disease treatments by reducing early-stage research risks.

The Foundation and its global network of advisors evaluated over 280 proposed therapeutic targets, selecting 21 for near-term validation. Funding has been launched for three multidisciplinary teams focusing on top-priority targets, including NOD2, OGA, and endolysosomal mechanisms such as TRPML1, TMEM175, and ATP13A2. These efforts address key disease processes like protein clearance, lysosomal and mitochondrial maintenance, and immune regulation in the brain.

To date, $7.5 million in early validation grants have been awarded through the T2T Initiative, with additional funding planned for 2026. The Foundation also released 59 public target profiles through its new T2T Target Explorer platform, providing researchers with access to curated data, validation plans, and project updates. The platform will expand as new validation results become available, supporting collaboration across the Parkinson’s research community.