Amir SohailStudy in highly translatable non-human primate models demonstrate how selective PKA-II
modulation in combination with levodopa improved motor benefit while reducing dyskinesia
Development candidate, SB-0110, now advancing through late-stage toxicology toward
anticipated first-in-human studies in 2027
SAN DIEGO, July 15, 2026 (ZM NEWSWIRE) — Sinopia Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company advancing novel therapeutics identified using its proprietary LEADS® (LEarn And DiScover) drug discovery platform, today announced the publication of preclinical data in Science Translational Medicine describing a novel, genetically validated approach to improving treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
The study titled “A small molecule reduces both parkinsonism and L-dopa-induced dyskinesia in animal models of Parkinson’s disease,” describes selective, positive modulation of PKA-II, a signaling protein downstream of dopamine receptors, can enhance the motor benefits of levodopa therapy while reducing levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), a longstanding and difficult tradeoff in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Levodopa is currently the standard of care for the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, though its long-term use is frequently associated with motor fluctuations and LID in most patients. Existing adjunct therapies and surgical procedures that are designed to improve levodopa’s activity tend to worsen dyskinesia, while the only approved anti-dyskinesia treatment has limited use in a large portion of patients due to side effects.
“This publication represents an important scientific and strategic milestone for Sinopia by validating our approach to treating one of the most challenging trade-offs for patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said Aarash Bordbar, Ph.D., CEO, CSO, and Co-Founder of Sinopia. “We are proud to be advancing SB-0110 toward the clinic. The preclinical data demonstrate its potential to meaningfully improve outcomes for a variety of patients with PD, including those that experience motor fluctuations and LID, as well as patients initiating levodopa therapy.”
The study directly supported the discovery of SB-0110, Sinopia’s development candidate for Parkinson’s disease and LID, which is currently advancing through late-stage preclinical toxicology studies and expected to enter clinical development in 2027.
Key findings from the publication include:
- Using an omics-guided discovery approach, Sinopia screened a large set of drug perturbation transcriptomic profiles against transcriptomic signatures associated with levodopa’s therapeutic and dyskinesia-associated effects, identifying SB-0107, a PKA-II positive modulator with prior human clinical experience, as a potential novel therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
- In non-human primate (NHP) models of PD with established dyskinesia, SB-0107 and novel optimized derivatives, including SB-0110, significantly reduced dyskinesia severity while potentiating the antiparkinsonian benefits of levodopa.
- SB-0110 and SB-0107 demonstrated no meaningful activity across established Parkinson’s drug targets, a large panel of GPCR targets, and an off-target safety-liability panel, supporting a differentiated mechanism with a favorable preclinical safety profile ahead of IND-enabling toxicology.
The work further validates omics-guided discovery as an unbiased strategy for identifying differentiated therapeutic targets and drug candidates by capturing global cellular changes rather than focusing on preselected pathways or mechanisms.
This study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R44NS124398, and by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43GM121117. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
About Sinopia Biosciences
Sinopia Biosciences, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company advancing novel therapeutics using its proprietary LEADS® (LEarn And DiScover) drug discovery platform. Sinopia’s LEADS® platform combines high-throughput omics data, AI/machine learning, and network analyses. Sinopia is actively pursuing first-in-class programs with high unmet need including its lead program for Parkinson’s disease. Sinopia is headquartered at JLABS San Diego. To learn more, please visit www.sinopiabio.com.
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