IRLAB Therapeutics AB has taken a decisive step forward in the race to tackle one of Parkinson’s disease’s most debilitating and overlooked symptoms: apathy.
The company announced today that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase Ib clinical trial of IRL757, a potential first-in-class treatment targeting Parkinson’s-related apathy — a condition for which no approved drugs currently exist.
The milestone doesn’t just mark clinical momentum. It also triggers a US$ 3 million payment to IRLAB, to be paid in instalments in 2026, strengthening the company’s financial position as development advances.
The LIFT-PD study will enroll 75 Parkinson’s patients experiencing apathy across 16 sites in Germany, Bulgaria, Poland and Spain. The Phase Ib trial is designed to assess safety, tolerability and early efficacy signals.
Importantly, the trial is fully funded by IRLAB’s development partner, the McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, LLC (MSRD) — an indirect subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical. The collaboration between IRLAB and MSRD was formed in May 2024 to push IRL757 through proof-of-concept trials.
“The progress in the clinical development of IRL757 as a potential new treatment for Parkinson’s patients experiencing apathy triggers a USD 3 million milestone payment that will further strengthen IRLAB's financial position.
"The solid scientific and financial backing from our collaborator, MSRD, enables us to continue to develop this first-in-class drug candidate efficiently, with the aim to improve the quality of life for the vast number of persons who are currently lacking treatment options for this severely disabling condition,” says Kristina Torfgård, CEO of IRLAB.
The move follows two successful Phase I studies — one in healthy young adults and another in healthy adults aged 65 and older — in which IRL757 was well absorbed, delivered strong systemic exposure after 10 days of dosing, and showed no serious adverse events. All participants completed both trials.
Apathy, marked by indifference, resignation and diminished engagement with the outside world, affects a substantial proportion of people living with Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Despite its profound impact on daily functioning and quality of life, no treatments are currently approved.
IRLAB believes IRL757 could change that. In multiple preclinical models of cognitive function, the drug candidate demonstrated positive effects, including improved motivation. Researchers believe this may stem from its unique ability to counteract disruptions in central nervous system signaling thought to underlie apathy across several neurological conditions.
With patient dosing now underway, IRLAB is moving from promise to proof — and positioning IRL757 as a potential breakthrough in an area of Parkinson’s care long left untreated.
