Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a thief, slowly stealing away the lives of those we love. I remember vividly when I first noticed something was wrong with my mother. We were in the kitchen, and as she moved about, I realized her left hand wasn’t swinging. It was a small detail, something easy to overlook, but to me, it was a glaring sign of what was to come. My mother, a woman full of life and energy, was beginning to show the early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

As a neuropsychologist, I have seen patients grappling with the same loss of motor function and the accompanying fear of what the future holds. But witnessing it in someone so close, who had always been my pillar of strength, changed everything. It was this profoundly personal experience that ignited my determination to find a better way—a way to intervene earlier and more effectively than ever before.

In the world of Parkinson’s treatment, the current options often leave patients in a frustrating limbo. When first diagnosed, many are told to wait—sometimes for years—before starting treatment. This is mainly due to the limitations of existing therapies, such as levodopa, which lose their effectiveness over time. The idea is to preserve the drug’s efficacy for as long as possible, but this approach leaves patients without help during the crucial early years when the disease is just beginning to take hold.

This waiting game was unacceptable to me, both as a son and as a scientist. I knew there had to be a way to change the course of the disease, to do more than manage symptoms once they became severe. This quest led me to found Nutaria, a company with a singular focus: to develop a drug that could target Parkinson’s disease at its source, during the earliest stages, and potentially stop it in its tracks.

My training as a neuropsychologist gave me a unique perspective on the problem. I understood the importance of targeting specific areas of the brain that are most affected by Parkinson’s. However, the challenge was delivering the treatment directly to these areas without causing widespread side effects—a problem that has long stymied researchers. It was during this pursuit that Nutaria discovered a groundbreaking delivery system, one that is now fascinating to scientists across the globe.

Our nose-to-brain delivery system technology is designed to transport therapeutic agents directly to the brain structures impacted by Parkinson’s disease. This method bypasses the blood-brain barrier, a formidable obstacle that has limited the effectiveness of many potential treatments. By using smart targeting biological principles, we have developed a system that is not only highly effective but also remarkably safe, with minimal side effects.

The implications of this technology are profound. For the first time, we have a tool that can deliver treatments directly to the zones of interest in the brain, precisely where they are needed most. This targeted approach could allow us to intervene much earlier in the disease process, offering hope to patients and their families who have been told there is nothing to do but wait.

But I couldn’t have done this alone. Nutaria’s progress results from a remarkable team of dedicated scientists, clinicians and innovators who share the same passion for changing the course of Parkinson’s disease. Our team combines neuropsychology, pharmacology, biotechnology and clinical research expertise, working in unison to turn our vision into reality. Their commitment and brilliance are the driving forces behind Nutaria’s breakthroughs, and their collective effort will bring new hope to millions of patients worldwide.

Today, Nutaria is on the brink of a breakthrough. We are preparing for a proof-of-concept study in advanced Parkinson’s disease models, a critical step toward bringing our treatment to the patients who most need it. This journey has been challenging, but the potential rewards are immense—not just for those of us at Nutaria but for the millions of people around the world who are living with Parkinson’s disease.

As we move forward, our mission remains clear: to change the way Parkinson’s disease is treated, offer new hope to those who have been left with few options, and honor the memory of those like my mother who inspired this quest. With continued research, collaboration and support from the community, we believe we can make a lasting impact in the fight against this devastating disease.

We invite you to join us on this journey. Together, we can push the boundaries of what is possible and bring new hope to those living with Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Omer Porat, PhD is the CEO and founder of Nutaria, an Israeli biotech company pioneering new treatments for Parkinson’s disease. To learn more, visit https://www.nutaria.com