FIU Scientists Develop Compound That May Slow Parkinson's and Lung Injury

The new drug targets a key cellular process linked to inflammation and cell damage.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 4:09am

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Researchers at Florida International University have created a promising new compound called CTS2444-32 that could help slow the progression of Parkinson's disease and protect against life-threatening lung injury. The compound targets a protein called DRP1 that plays a crucial role in mitochondrial function, and reducing its overactivity has shown benefits in preclinical tests for both brain and lung disease models.

Why it matters

Parkinson's disease and acute lung injury are devastating conditions that currently lack effective treatments. This discovery represents a potential breakthrough in addressing the underlying cellular mechanisms driving the progression of these diseases, which could lead to new therapeutic options for patients.

The details

The research team, led by Professor Kim Tieu, an expert in Parkinson's disease, and Dr. Stephen Black, an acute lung injury specialist, found that the compound CTS2444-32 was able to reduce DRP1 activity by up to 45% in their tests. This helped limit damage in both brain and lung disease models by improving mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, and lowering levels of toxic proteins like alpha-synuclein that are linked to Parkinson's.

  • The research was conducted at Florida International University over the past several years.
  • The findings were published in a scientific journal on April 1, 2026.

The players

Kim Tieu

A professor of environmental health sciences at FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work who has spent years studying the role of DRP1 in Parkinson's disease.

Stephen Black

The director of the FIU Center for Translational Science and associate dean for research at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, an expert in acute lung injury.

Adel Nefzi

A medicinal chemist at FIU Medicine who collaborated on the discovery of the new compound CTS2444-32.

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What they’re saying

“DRP1 plays an important role in mitochondrial division. But when it gets too active, it causes the mitochondria to split more than they should, which can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and cell death – key factors in how Parkinson's disease progresses.”

— Kim Tieu, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences

What’s next

The research team plans to continue testing CTS2444-32 in additional preclinical models and work towards initiating clinical trials to evaluate the compound's safety and efficacy in humans.

The takeaway

This discovery represents a significant advancement in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying both Parkinson's disease and acute lung injury, and could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches to slow the progression of these devastating conditions.