Casma to Develop CSM-101 as Treatment for Parkinson’s

Casma Therapeutics said it will develop CSM-101 as a potential disease-modifying oral treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease and Gaucher disease.

CSM-101 is a first-in-class small molecule designed to activate the calcium channel TRPML1, a key regulator of lysosomal function and autophagy, a process in which cells deliver waste to cellular structures called lysosomes to be broken down and recycled. Boosting autophagy is aimed at reducing the toxic buildup of molecules that are thought to drive the development of Gaucher’s and Parkinson’s.