NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – About one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinsons disease. Levodopa is the most effective drug available, but the drug can cause side effects, and after several years, the effectiveness of Levodopa can wane, and with higher doses, patients may develop dyskinesia, or involuntary, erratic movements. Now, a new drug, currently in clinical trials, may reduce these unpleasant side effects while lengthening the time patients have relief of their symptoms.
With a solid pool game and a smooth golf swing, you would have never thought 70-year-old Wayne Holt has been living with Parkinson’s disease for 21 years.
“I used to be a racquetball player and I couldn’t keep up with the ball anymore. I decided I needed to find a sport where the ball sits still until I hit it,” Holt explains.
Holt first noticed his Parkinson’s symptoms when he was at lunch with a friend.
“When I lift my drinking glass, my hand really had a tremor to it,” Holt remembers.
Director at Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Craig Lindsley, explains, “Parkinsonian tremors are due to too much brake and not enough gas. When people try to do personal movement, they get shaking because the brake is being applied as they’re trying to apply the gas.”
Levodopa has been the gold standard when it comes to treating Parkinson’s symptoms. But after several years, efficacy can fade and long-term use may lead to side effects, such as dyskinesia, hallucination, delusions, and sleep problems. But researchers are testing a new drug called AP-472.
“This is really different because it’s not dopamine replacement therapy. We’re targeting this overactive synapse and bringing that gas and brake back into balance,” Lindsley further explains.
The drug is designed to be given along with Levodopa to increase its effectiveness and limit negative side effects. For Holt, who suffers with dyskinesia, a drug like this can be a game changer.
Holt says, “The more we can do, the more likely we are to cure this thing.”
AP-472 is an oral daily drug. The phase one trial will give the drug to healthy young, middle-aged, and elderly adults to evaluate the safety. Then, it will move to phase 1B and phase 2 where it will be given to Parkinson’s patients.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer, Editor.
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Sources:
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: INVESTIGATIONAL PARKINSON’S DRUG DECREASES SIDE EFFECTS
REPORT: MB #5056
BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. An estimated seven to ten million people worldwide have Parkinson’s disease. Every year, about 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s. This does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected. The average cost of Parkinson’s medication is $2,500 per year. Parkinson’s-related surgery can cost up to $100,000 per patient.
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/parkinsons-disease-statistics/)
DIAGNOSING: Symptoms of Parkinson’s and the rate of progression differ among individuals. Sometimes people dismiss early symptoms of Parkinson’s as the effects of normal aging. In most cases, there are no medical tests to definitively detect the disease, so it can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are subtle and occur gradually. For example, affected people may feel mild tremors or have difficulty getting out of a chair. They may notice that they speak too softly, or that their handwriting is slow and looks cramped or small. Friends or family members may be the first to notice changes in someone with early Parkinson’s. They may see that the person’s face lacks expression and animation, or that the person does not move an arm or leg normally. There are currently no blood or laboratory tests to diagnose nongenetic cases of Parkinson’s disease. Diagnosis is based on a person’s medical history and a neurological examination. Improvement after initiating medication is another important hallmark of Parkinson’s disease.
(Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease)
NEW THERAPY: Extended-release carbidopa/levodopa (RYTARY®) has been on the scene for more than five years, yet people are still unaware of its benefits. The capsule may offer longer-lasting symptom improvement for people who experience frequent motor fluctuations. As PD advances, “off” times can increase. Additionally, some people living with PD can experience gastroparesis (slowed emptying of the stomach). This can make oral medications less effective. Carbidopa/levodopa enteral suspension (CLES or DUOPA™) therapy can lessen motor fluctuations by continuously delivering medicine to the small intestine. This treatment can also lessen dyskinesia. A current clinical research study is exploring how to deliver a similar treatment under the skin using a microneedle.
(Source: https://www.parkinson.org/blog/awareness/latest-pd-medications-taking-personalized-approach)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Craig Boerner
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
