Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) and H. Lundbeck A/S announced today that a study of Azilect has met its primary endpoint in treating Parkinson's disease. The double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized, multicenter study, known as ANDANTE (Add oN to Dopamine AgoNists in the TrEatment of Parkinsons disease), assessed the efficacy and tolerability of Azilect as add-on treatment to dopamine agonists compared to placebo. While the efficacy of Azilect as adjunct to levodopa has been established in previous studies (leading to its indication as adjunct therapy to levodopa), its efficacy in combination with dopamine agonist monotherapy has not previously been studied. Results from the study demonstrated that the addition of 1 mg of Azilect daily provided a statistically significant improvement in total Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale from baseline to week 18 in patients sub-optimally controlled with dopamine agonist monotherapy compared to placebo. Azilect was well-tolerated with no significant difference in adverse events compared to placebo. The positive outcome of this study is important news for the PD community, for patients and physicians, said University of South Florida, Director, Parkinsons Disease & Movement Disorders Center Dr. Robert A. Hauser and primary investigator of the study. In addition to rasagiline … Continue reading →

Grant to be used to help fund further human clinical testing of dipraglurant for the treatment of Parkinson`s disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia New York, NY and Geneva, Switzerland, 19 March 2013 - Addex Therapeutics (ADXN.SW), a leading company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug discovery and development, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson`s Research announced today that the Foundation awarded a $1,000,000 grant to Addex to help fund continued human clinical testing of dipraglurant for the treatment of Parkinson`s disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD-LID). One-third of people with PD develop dyskinesia within four to six years of beginning levodopa treatment; this increases to approximately 90 percent after nine or more years. Patients with Parkinson`s disease (PD) can live 10-20 years after diagnosis; however, PD-LID is a leading cause of disability in this growing patient population. "Dyskinesia is a top priority for our Foundation because of its significant negative impact on patients` quality of life," said Todd Sherer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. "Candidates such as dipraglurant and other innovative therapies in development offer the possibility of improved quality of life through better symptomatic treatment of Parkinson`s. Dipraglurant targets a molecular mechanism that our Foundation has been investing … Continue reading →

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 20, 2013) - International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCC) ( OTCQB : ISCO ) (www.internationalstemcell.com), a California-based biotechnology company focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells today announced positive results demonstrating the safety and efficacy of stem cell engraftment in a primate model of Parkinson's disease. The results were presented during the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 65th Annual Meeting, Scientific Platform Session: Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 in San Diego. "This pilot study represents a first essential step in bringing cell-based therapies for Parkinson's disease to clinical trials," commented co-author of the study Evan Y. Snyder, MD, PhD, Director of Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology Program at Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute. These placebo-controlled studies were designed to demonstrate the viability, fate and functional efficacy of the stem cell derived neural cells after implantation to the brain. Highly pure populations of neuronal cells were differentiated from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC) according to the protocol developed by International Stem Cell Corporation and recently published in the Nature Publishing Group's Scientific Reports. The studies employ MPTP-lesioned African Green monkeys and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, the principle models used to study Parkinson's disease. The … Continue reading →

ESPOO, FINLAND--(Marketwire - Mar 21, 2013) - A new levodopa product (ODM-101) developed by Orion Corporation could improve the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease patients. According to a Phase II study, presented yesterday at American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting in San Diego, ODM-101 significantly decreased daily OFF-time without increasing ON-time with troublesome dyskinesias compared to reference product Stalevo, which is an established standard medication for advanced Parkinson's patients experiencing so-called end-of-dose wearing off symptoms associated with levodopa therapy. Stalevo, also a product of Orion's own pharmaceutical R&D, contains three active substances in one tablet: levodopa and the enzyme inhibitors entacapone and carbidopa. ODM-101 has the same components as Stalevo but with higher and fixed amount of carbidopa (either 65 or 105 mg) regardless of levodopa dosage. For the clinical Phase II trial, 117 patients with Parkinson's disease and with response fluctuations were randomly given Stalevo, ODM-101/65 mg and ODM-101/105 mg in a cross-over study with three periods each lasting for 4 weeks. Daily OFF-time (time when patients do not have adequate response to their treatment) and ON-time (time when patients have a good treatment response) with and without troublesome dyskinesia (involuntary movements) were measured by patient diary. Both ODM-101/65 … Continue reading →

Parkinson's Shuffle Gait Short video for PTA 113. By: Taylor Richardson … Continue reading →

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) today announced that 15 abstracts highlighting study results for Parkinsons disease (PD) and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) will be presented during the 65th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., March 16-23, 2013. New data for AZILECT (rasagiline tablets), an MAO-B inhibitor for the treatment of PD, will be presented as part of the meetings Emerging Science program (formerly known as Late-Breaking Science) on Wednesday, March 20th at 5:45pm PST. We are pleased with the variety of topics and quality of research results that will be presented at AAN this year, said Dr. Michael Hayden, President of Global R&D and Chief Scientific Officer at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Tevas legacy in CNS is grounded in our commitment to ongoing collaboration with academia, medical institutions, and patient advocacy groups to find innovative solutions for patients who live with chronic and debilitating diseases, such as RRMS and Parkinsons disease. Featured presentations include: Platform Presentation/Poster Session Details: AZILECT COPAXONE Laquinimod About Azilect AZILECT (rasagiline tablets) is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) both as initial therapy alone and to be added to levodopa later in … Continue reading →

John Hougan was 52 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. What began as a slight tremor one morning soon led him to Vancouver General Hospital. After three days of tests, he received the news. "I was taken aback," he said of the diagnosis. "It's not something that's in my family. At first, I was more bothered by not knowing what it was. I knew a little bit about Parkinson's because my wife works with somebody who has it." He also was aware that actor Michael J. Fox has the disease. "The first thing you think is: how fast is this going to progress?" Caused by a decrease in the production of dopamine, Parkinson's is characterized by uncontrollable movements and muscular rigidity. It usually strikes adults over 50, although the degenerative disease can hit earlier, particularly when there is a family history of Parkinson's. The average age of diagnosis in Canada is approximately 62, but Parkinson Society Canada says there has been an increase in the number of patients under the age of 50. There is no known cure for the disease. Current treatments call for medication that includes synthetic dopamine. But Hougan, an active person to begin with, has … Continue reading →

By IrishCentral Contributing Writer Published Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 7:15 AM Updated Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 9:45 AM Italian Doctor Daniel Volpe has discovered that Irish dancing has a positive effect on patients suffering from Parkinson's disease Photo by ParkinsonsItalia.it Doctor Daniele Volpe is not an ordinary Italian neurologist. In addition to heading up the Parkinson's Rehabilitation unit at the St. John of God hospital in Venice, he is a musician who loves trad and who visits Ireland frequently to play in a band. Amazingly, he has found a way to connect both his professional life and his love of trad music. The story begins in June of 2010 in Peppers Pub, a Trad hot spot located in the tiny village of Feakle (population 126), in County Clare. Peppers regularly offers Trad nights where customers can enjoy music, and if so inclined, participate in set dances. On this particular night, Dan Fox (Volpes stage name) was playing alongside Charlie Piggot, one of the founding members of De Dannan, and as the band was about to start, the Italian doctor noticed a man with an unsteady gait enter the pub. "Someone with Parkinson's," he remembers thinking. About 20 minutes later the … Continue reading →

Home national 1 in every 100 Thais prone to Parkinson's disease The Nation March 9, 2013 1:00 am However, Chulalongkorn Hospital's Dr Rungroj Phitthayasiri did not say if this 1:100 ratio was higher or lower than previous figures, though he did say that Parkinson's was afflicting more people between the ages of 21 and 40. He explained that the initial symptoms were usually muscle cramps, and young people often mistook them as general muscular spasms or bone-related illness and sought treatment with orthopaedists. However, he said, if the symptoms were correctly diagnosed at an early stage, it can extend patients' life by 30 years and reduce the risk of injuries incurred from a fall or a collapse, which sufferers are prone to. Factors leading to Parkinson's include constant exposure to insecticide, injuries or hard impact to the head, though exercise is deemed as one of the many preventative measures. Dr Phawut Mekwichai, from the Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima hospital, said 74 per cent of 300 Parkinson's patients treated in a six-month study showed symptoms that manifested at night, which put them at the risk of suffocation, cardiac arrest and subsequent death. He suggested that such patients be turned over every two … Continue reading →

Medical Files By Rafael Castillo M.D. Philippine Daily Inquirer The ordinary man on the street does not know much of Parkinsons disease or PD. An elderly patient who was recently diagnosed to have PD thought it was a disease related to boxing. Muhammad Ali has somehow become the face of PD. Known for his agility and nimbleness in his youth as a heavyweight boxing champion, he is now seen in news features and documentaries with full-blown features of PDresting hand tremors as if hes rolling a pill or marble with his fingers, stiffness of the limbs, decrease in facial expression, shuffling or small steps when walking. A related concern was raised for Manny Pacquiao after his knockout loss to Juan Marquez, hence the unsolicited advice that he hang up his gloves for good before its too late. Although PD and Parkinsonism are sometimes interchanged, theyre not exactly the same and some brain experts explain that its actually Parkinsonism that is linked more to boxing. Parkinsonism is actually the general condition and PD is just a type of it. Repetitive head trauma Permanent injury to the brain cells results from repetitive head trauma. The brain cells or neurons in an area … Continue reading →