Mair Therapeutics Partners with Radboud University to Advance TMEM175 Agonists for Parkinson’s Disease
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Mair Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in the Netherlands, has entered into a scientific collaboration with Radboud University to speed up the discovery of small-molecule TMEM175 agonists for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
TMEM175 is a lysosomal ion channel that plays an important role in maintaining normal lysosomal function. This process is essential for clearing misfolded proteins such as alpha-synuclein. Genetic research has linked problems in TMEM175 function to a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, while certain variants appear to reduce the risk. Mair Therapeutics is using its drug discovery platform to identify compounds that increase TMEM175 activity and help restore lysosomal function.
As part of the collaboration, the laboratory of Dr Marijn Kuijpers at the Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University, will evaluate a range of TMEM175-targeting compounds developed by Mair. These compounds will be tested in human neuron models derived from both Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy donors. The studies will focus on lysosomal pH control and protein degradation capacity, which are known to be impaired in Parkinson’s disease.
The collaboration highlights Mair Therapeutics’ focus on working closely with the East Netherlands neuroscience and innovation community. The company is headquartered in Nijmegen, a major centre for Parkinson’s research, and is supported by investors including Torrey Pines Investment and Oost NL.
Source: prnewswire.com
