New funding from The Michael J Fox Foundation backs a strategy that could unlock a long-studied pathway linked to both Parkinson’s and aging.
Scientists have long been intrigued by a biological pathway called mTOR. It sits at the center of some of the most exciting research in aging, helping regulate how cells grow, repair themselves and clear away damaged material.
The problem is that while dialing down mTOR can produce promising effects in the brain, it can also create unwanted consequences throughout the rest of the body. Now, San Francisco-based Montara Therapeutics believes it may have found a way around that challenge.
The biotech company has received approximately $1 million in research funding from The Michael J Fox Foundation (MJFF) to advance a new Parkinson’s disease program that aims to activate the brain’s natural clean-up system while avoiding many of the side effects that have historically limited this class of drugs [1].
Parkinson’s disease is marked by the buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein. Over time, these protein clumps accumulate in the brain, damaging neurons and contributing to disease progression.
One of the body’s natural defenses against this kind of buildup is a process known as autophagy. Often described as the cell’s recycling system, autophagy helps identify, break down and remove unwanted cellular debris.
Researchers have long known that reducing mTOR activity can switch this process on. That connection has made mTOR inhibitors such as rapamycin and related compounds particularly interesting not only in Parkinson’s research but also in the broader field of longevity science. However, enthusiasm has consistently run into the same obstacle: these drugs affect tissues throughout the body, potentially causing immune suppression, impaired wound healing and metabolic complications. In other words, the biology looks compelling, but the safety profile has made translating that science into neurological treatments extremely difficult.
Taking the brakes off – only in the brain
Montara’s approach centers on its BrainOnly platform, which is designed to keep therapeutic activity confined to the brain. Rather than allowing an mTOR-targeting drug to circulate freely throughout the body, the company pairs it with a proprietary “peripheral blocker” intended to prevent activity outside the central nervous system. The goal is straightforward: unlock the benefits where they are needed while minimizing exposure elsewhere.
The newly funded project will test several clinically used mTOR inhibitors in combination with Montara’s blocker technology. Researchers will evaluate the combinations in laboratory systems and animal models of Parkinson’s disease to identify candidates that most effectively reduce alpha-synuclein accumulation while maintaining favorable safety characteristics.
If successful, the strategy could provide a path toward therapies that address the underlying disease process rather than simply managing symptoms.
Dr Nicholas T Hertz, founder and CEO of Montara Therapeutics, said that his team had spent years working toward a therapy designed to address the underlying biology causing neurons to die, rather than just treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
“MJFF’s continued support reflects the importance of exploring new approaches to Parkinson’s disease biology. The mTOR pathway is one of the most powerful levers we have for clearing toxic proteins from the brain, and our platform may finally make it safe enough to use,” he said.
A second vote of confidence
The grant marks the second time MJFF has backed Montara’s work. In 2025, the foundation funded the company’s efforts to develop a brain-selective inhibitor targeting LRRK2, another important Parkinson’s disease pathway.
The continued support suggests growing interest in brain-selective drug development as researchers confront one of neuroscience’s most persistent challenges: how to target disease-driving biology in the brain without creating problems elsewhere in the body.
“The mTOR pathway represents an important area of investigation in Parkinson’s research,” said Jessica Tome Garcia, Lead Scientific Program Manager, Translational Research at The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. “While the underlying biology is compelling, challenges related to systemic toxicity have limited progress. This work aims to explore approaches that may help address those barriers and advance our understanding of how targeting mTOR-driven autophagy could impact disease biology.”
Longevity.Technology: What makes this program especially noteworthy is that it sits at the intersection of neurodegeneration and longevity research. Autophagy is increasingly viewed as one of the fundamental maintenance systems that help cells remain healthy over time. The same cellular housekeeping processes being investigated for Parkinson’s disease are also widely studied for their role in aging and age-related decline. That does not mean Parkinson’s therapy automatically becomes a longevity intervention. However, it does highlight how discoveries emerging from aging biology are increasingly finding applications in specific diseases, while disease-focused research continues to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms that influence healthy aging.
For longevity investors and observers, Montara’s latest funding represents more than another Parkinson’s program entering development. It is a reminder that some of the field’s most promising opportunities may come not from discovering entirely new biology, but from finally finding practical ways to use mechanisms researchers have been interested in for years.
