Serina using $5M to develop SER-252 for advanced Parkinson’s
New funding will support first-in-human study, expected by year's end
Serina Therapeutics will use $5 million in new funding to further develop SER-252 (POZ-apomorphine) as a treatment for advanced Parkinson’s disease, with a Phase 1 clinical study now expected by the end of the year.
The company secured the financing from shareholders to support clinical testing of SER-252, its lead treatment candidate, according to a Serina press release. The trial is planned for launch in the fourth quarter, or within the last three months of the year.
SER-252, designed to be self-administered by patients, aims to lessen the occurrence of off episodes in Parkinson’s, which are periods when symptoms are not effectively controlled between treatment doses.
“We remain focused on initiating first-in-human studies later this year,” said Steve Ledger, Serina’s CEO.
SER-252 designed to reduce off episodes in advanced Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is caused by a gradual loss of dopamine, a key signaling chemical that facilitates communication between brain cells. Levodopa, widely regarded as the gold standard among treatments for Parkinson’s, provides the necessary building blocks for the body to produce more dopamine, thereby helping to restore its levels.
Although levodopa is effective in managing Parkinson’s symptoms, it can cause side effects such as involuntary movements, known as dyskinesia. Additionally, many patients experience off episodes, or periods of reduced symptom control that occur between doses.
The active ingredient in SER-252 is apomorphine, a dopamine agonist used to manage off episodes in Parkinson’s. It mimics dopamine activity in the brain. Current apomorphine formulations require subcutaneous, or under-the-skin, injections.
SER-252 uses Serina’s proprietary POZ platform delivery technology, which offers enhanced control over the drug’s loading and release rate, enabling continuous and more consistent delivery of the medication. This may be particularly helpful for drugs related to dopamine, which tend to have a narrow window between effective doses and those that cause side effects.
With a novel approach to achieving continuous dopaminergic stimulation, we believe SER-252 may offer meaningful clinical benefit to patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease.
In 2024, Serina announced a partnership with Enable Injections to integrate SER-252 with the Enfuse wearable drug delivery platform, which allows patients to self-administer SER-252 subcutaneously in a faster, simpler, and more convenient way than available methods.
“With a novel approach to achieving continuous dopaminergic stimulation, we believe SER-252 may offer meaningful clinical benefit to patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease,” Ledger said.
Ledger said the new financing “reflects … confidence … in the potential of SER-252.”
Serina is developing SER-252 for patients with advanced Parkinson’s, with the goal of reducing dyskinesia and minimizing the frequency of off episodes. The therapy is designed to provide continuous dopaminergic stimulation, ensuring a steady supply of dopamine, unlike the intermittent delivery associated with levodopa and similar treatments.
In preclinical studies, SER-252 demonstrated a favorable safety profile and was able to achieve continuous drug delivery following weekly subcutaneous injections.
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