The project titled “PD-001R: A First-in-Class Candidate for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases”, led by Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation, Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN), and Founder of PolyU startup AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited, in collaboration with Dr ZHAO Chen, Postdoctoral Fellow at the FSN, was awarded both the Prize of Korea Invention Promotion Association and a Gold Medal .
Developed from Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus, PD-001R is a novel small-molecule drug candidate that promotes degradation of pathological α-synuclein aggregates—a key hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease. With demonstrated ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and strong oral bioavailability, this innovation represents a significant step forward in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
This achievement underscores the impact of interdisciplinary research at the intersection of food science, biomedical innovation, and translational medicine. Heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Lee and Dr Zhao for bringing such distinguished global recognition to the Department, reflecting our commitment to frontier research excellence.
