Developing drugs targeting brain support cells to treat Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s medicines mainly treat symptoms, while the processes driving degeneration remain difficult to modify. Astrocytes help maintain the environment around brain cells, and disruption of their communication networks may contribute to disease alongside damage to neurons.
Cellestial Health is developing small-molecule medicines to protect astrocyte networks in Parkinson’s disease. Its preclinical programme aims to preserve communication between these brain support cells and develop treatments that could modify disease progression.
What stands out about Cellestial Health
Closed a £515K pre-seed equity round in May 2025, led by Zinc VC with SFC Capital and angel participation.
A 2026 study found danegaptide reduced aspects of inflammation and alpha-synuclein pathology in cell and rat models.
A 2025 study found reduced connexin 43 in brain tissue from 20 late-stage Parkinson’s cases versus 20 age-matched controls.
Secured over £400K in grants, including £55K from Parkinson’s UK and a £20K Wellcome-backed pilot with Manchester researchers.
Cambridge Enterprise supported patenting and licensing of the university-origin technology into Cellestial Health.
Cellestial Health spun out of the University of Cambridge from Nat Hastings’s postdoctoral research on astrocyte biology.
Won an o2h discovery Kickstarter Award providing drug-discovery support for its astrocyte-targeted small-molecule pipeline.
Collaborates with University of Manchester researchers to study astrocyte networks in Parkinson’s brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid.
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