Chinese scientists have uncovered a critical pathological mechanism underlying neurodegenerative diseases and created a promising drug candidate, marking a major step toward new treatments for neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis.

A research team led by Shi Fudong, chief physician in the Department of Neurology at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, found that formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) plays a central role in driving inflammation and degeneration in the central nervous system, according to findings published today in Science.

Building on this discovery, the team has developed a small-molecule FPR1 antagonist, named T0080, which is now being readied for clinical trials, the report said.