Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program (MJFF)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full RFA before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program is a rolling funding program run by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) that provides $250,000 to over $2 million in nondilutive funding to industry and industry-academia teams advancing Parkinson’s disease therapeutics. Funding supports pre-clinical and early clinical development of pharmacological, biological, and non-pharmacological interventions with clear potential to slow, stop, or delay disease progression or meaningfully reduce symptom burden. Companies can submit pre-proposals at any time, with reviews typically completed within three weeks, and invited full proposals reviewed on a quarterly cycle.

How much funding would I receive?

Award amounts typically range from $250,000 for smaller, targeted projects to upwards of $2 million for larger, multi-stage pre-clinical or clinical development programs. Final award size is determined in consultation with MJFF based on project scope, stage of development, novelty, and unmet patient need.

What could I use the funding for?

MJFF prioritizes pre-clinical and clinical programs that may slow, stop, or prevent disease progression, efforts that address moderate-to-advanced motor or non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s not well-managed by current treatments such as advanced gait disturbances (e.g., balance issues linked to falls, freezing) and cognitive changes. Activities within scope of this program include:

• Pre-Clinical: Identifying, validating and/or developing novel pharmacological and non- pharmacological interventions through pre-clinical development from early screening topre-clinical characterization and testing.

• Clinical: Progressing promising interventions with strong preclinical packages into/through initial clinical assessment exploring pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, safety/tolerability, or early proof of biology and/or clinical efficacy.For novel targets, MJFF is particularly interested in de-risking programs by supporting early proof of concept in patients to gain insight into the therapeutic potential, including exploration of biomarker-based or clinical endpoint-based efficacy.

Any intervention may be considered based on clear patient need, rationale and strong mechanism-of-action understanding. Interventions may be pharmacological (small molecules), biological (biologic, gene therapy) or non-pharmacological including surgical approaches, technology-enabled therapeutics and neuromodulation approaches. Competitive non- pharmacologic proposals will have compelling, existing data from human studies with strong potential for clinical adoption. Applicants may also propose testing of repurposed or repositioned therapies but should propose clear and robust biomarker-enabled testing strategies.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond direct funding, MJFF awards offer meaningful strategic advantages:

• Strong Scientific and Patient-Centered Validation: Selection by MJFF signals rigorous scientific merit and strong alignment with patient-driven therapeutic priorities in Parkinson’s disease.

• De-Risking for Follow-On Capital: MJFF explicitly positions this program to de-risk therapeutic programs and catalyze follow-on investment from venture capital, strategic partners, and other funders.

• Access to MJFF’s Ecosystem: Awardees gain access to MJFF’s extensive network of clinicians, researchers, industry partners, patient advisors, and proprietary research tools, datasets, and biosample repositories.

• Enhanced Exit and Commercialization Potential: Government- and foundation-validated programs often command higher valuations during licensing, acquisition, or later-stage financing due to reduced technical and clinical risk.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Pre-proposals may be submitted at any time and are typically reviewed within three weeks. If invited, full proposals are submitted during one of five annual review cycles. Funding decisions are communicated within three months of full proposal submission.

Upcoming full proposal deadlines include:

• February 22, 2026 → Funding decision May 2026

• April 23, 2026 → Funding decision July 2026

• June 25, 2026 → Funding decision September 2026

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided directly by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating cures and better treatments for Parkinson’s disease through aggressively funded translational research.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to:

• Industry applicants (biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, or other for-profit companies), or

• Academic teams partnered with an industry collaborator capable of commercial development.

Both U.S. and non-U.S. entities are eligible. The for-profit entity is expected to serve as the primary grantee and commercialization lead.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Successful applications typically demonstrate:

• A strong biological rationale for the therapeutic target, supported by genetic or in vitro/in vivo validation data.

• A clearly differentiated therapeutic approach believed to be superior to existing or pipeline therapies.

• Robust translational biomarker strategies to measure target engagement and mechanism of action.

• Clear preclinical-to-clinical translation potential with a realistic commercialization pathway.

• For clinical programs, a patient-centered development plan incorporating patient input.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

MJFF will not fund:

• Large-scale target discovery efforts (e.g., genomic or transcriptomic screening).

• Target validation using only tool compounds with no path to drug development.

• Reformulation of commercially available drugs via new routes of administration.

• Studies evaluating dietary supplements.

MJFF does not intend to serve as the sole funder and expects applicants to pursue complementary funding sources.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive pre-proposal for this opportunity will likely take 20–40 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Fractional support is $300 per hour, with most pre-proposal projects requiring 10-20 hours of expert support from strategy through submission of full proposal.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

See Request for Applications Here.