Mission Therapeutics raises $13.3 million to progress first-in-class Parkinson’s disease candidate MTX325 through clinical trials

Mission Therapeutics has announced a new financing round of $13.3 million to accelerate its lead Parkinson’s-disease drug candidate, MTX325, into clinical development. The fresh capital is earmarked for advancing safety, dosing, and brain-penetration studies as the company transitions from preclinical to human trials.

MTX325 is designed to modulate mitophagy, the cellular process for clearing dysfunctional mitochondria, via inhibition of the deubiquitylating enzyme USP30. Dysfunctional mitochondria are increasingly implicated in Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis, and targeting USP30 may help protect dopamine-producing neurons from degeneration.

Earlier, Mission began dosing healthy volunteers in a Phase I trial of MTX325, assessing safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and central nervous system penetration. The company plans to expand into Parkinson’s patients in upcoming stages. The firm has also received support from prominent backers and non-profit partners, reflecting confidence in the mitophagy-based strategy.

With this funding, Mission aims to generate early human data and optimize dosing ahead of later efficacy trials. The move reinforces the biotech’s commitment to disease-modifying therapies for neurodegeneration.