In late December 2025, IRLAB arranged a scientific advisory board meeting to assess the results from its Phase IIb clinical study of pirepemat (REACT-PD) and discuss next steps in the development plan for the drug candidate. The advisory board comprises four esteemed key opinion leaders (KOLs) from North America, Europe and Scandinavia, recognized for their expertise in Parkinson’s disease with special focus on falls, complications related to falls and the underlying mechanisms.

The members unanimously agreed that falls among patients are a significant unmet medical need in Parkinson’s care, with no available pharmaceutical treatment. The advisory board highlighted that the occurrence of falls is a key clinical indicator and should remain a primary focus in upcoming clinical studies. The decrease in fall occurrences observed in the Phase IIb study was considered highly clinically meaningful. Furthermore, the pharmacologic rationale and mechanism of action of pirepemat are deemed compatible with a biphasic concentration–response relationship. The advisory board concluded that pirepemat is a promising candidate to offer meaningful therapeutic benefits and that further development is warranted.

"We are pleased to have convened such a distinguished group of Parkinson’s experts to guide the development of pirepemat. The feedback from our advisory board unanimously confirms the potential of pirepemat to address a treatment gap with profound consequences for patients' quality of life, and we remain committed to bringing this highly meaningful therapeutic option to people living with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones,” says Nicholas Waters, Executive Vice President & Head of R&D.

Pirepemat Scientific Advisory Board members

Professor Alfonso Fasano holds the Chair in Neuromodulation and Multi-Disciplinary Care at the University of Toronto and University Health Network. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine (Division of Neurology) at the University of Toronto and a staff neurologist and co-director of the Surgical Program for Movement Disorders at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network.

Professor Andrew McGarry, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Cooper University Healthcare at Rowan University, where he helps oversee the movement disorder clinic and treats a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. McGarry is a member of the Huntington’s and Parkinson’s Study Groups and has interests in genetic modifiers and metabolomics in Huntington’s Disease, the non-motor features of Parkinson’s Disease, and the rational repurposing of existing medications for unmet needs in movement disorders.

Professor Bastiaan Bloem is a medical director and consultant neurologist at the Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. In 2002, Professor Bloem founded and became medical director of the Parkinson Centre Nijmegen (ParC), which was recognized from 2005 onward as a center of excellence for Parkinson’s disease. Together with Dr. Marten Munneke, he also developed ParkinsonNet, an innovative healthcare concept that now comprises 70 professional networks for Parkinson’s disease patients, covering all of The Netherlands.

Professor Per Odin is the Chief Physician, Head of Office, and Supervisor of Neurology at the Dept of Clinical Sciences, Lund University. His main research areas include late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD), PD monitoring, continuous dopaminergic stimulation in PD, pump therapies for PD, non-motor PD symptoms, and cell transplantation in PD. Professor Odin is chair of the Scandinavian Movement Disorder Society, scientific secretary of the Swedish Movement Disorder Society, and chair of the Swedish Parkinson research network SWEPAR. He is also vice chair of the MDS Non-motor Parkinson's Disease Study Group (NMPDSG).