Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

PARIS: A flawed gene implicated in Parkinson's disease lets proteins build up dangerously in key brain cells, according to a study on Sunday that throws open new paths for tackling the tragic disorder. Parkinson's patients suffer from progressive stiffness, slowing of movement and problems in coordination resulting from the loss of nerve cells that make a muscle-controlling chemical, dopamine. A hallmark of the disease is the presence of so-called Lewy bodies, an accumulation of toxic proteins in these vital cells. But how the proteins - the byproducts of normal cellular processes - are allowed to pile up within the cell, eventually killing it, has remained unclear. Researchers at the Einstein College of Medicine in New York took a close look at a gene that controls a dogsbody molecule called leucine-rich repeat kinase-2, or LRRK2. A flawed version of the LRRK2 gene has already been fingered, along with other genetic culprits, as being among the inherited causes of Parkinson's. Delving into this association, the team discovered that a faulty LRRK2 gene turns out an abnormal protein that blocks the task of clearing out the junked-up cell. "Our study found that abnormal forms of LRRK2 protein disrupt an important garbage-disposal process in … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Parkinson`s Disease: World Drug Market 2013-2023 http://www.reportlinker.com/p0663861/Parkinson`s-Disease-World-Drug-Market-2013-2023.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_Medication Report Details Your guide to sales outlooks and R&D for treating Parkinson's Our new study investigates developments, also letting you assess projected sales data at overall world market, submarket and national level. There you investigate the most promising areas in that industry and market segment for neurodegenerative disorders. Forecasts and other analyses to help you stay ahead in knowledge In our report you find revenue forecasting to 2023, growth rates and market shares. Also, you see qualitative analysis (SWOT), business news, outlooks and developmental trends (R&D). You receive 63 tables, 38 charts and four research interviews. You can stay ahead in knowledge for treating that motor system disorder and benefit your research and analyses. Our work lets you discover industry dynamics and growth potentials. Make sure you know the latest trends, innovations and opportunities. The following sections show what you find in our study. More here: Parkinson's Disease: World Drug Market 2013-2023 … Continue reading →

A flawed gene implicated in Parkinson's disease lets proteins build up dangerously in key brain cells, according to a study on Sunday that throws open new paths for tackling the tragic disorder. Parkinson's patients suffer from progressive stiffness, slowing of movement and problems in coordination resulting from the loss of nerve cells that make a muscle-controlling chemical, dopamine. A hallmark of the disease is the presence of so-called Lewy bodies, an accumulation of toxic proteins in these vital cells. But how the proteins -- the byproducts of normal cellular processes -- are allowed to pile up within the cell, eventually killing it, has remained unclear. Researchers at the Einstein College of Medicine in New York took a close look at a gene that controls a dogsbody molecule called leucine-rich repeat kinase-2, or LRRK2. A flawed version of the LRRK2 gene has already been fingered, along with other genetic culprits, as being among the inherited causes of Parkinson's. Delving into this association, the team discovered that a faulty LRRK2 gene turns out an abnormal protein that blocks the task of clearing out the junked-up cell. "Our study found that abnormal forms of LRRK2 protein disrupt an important garbage-disposal process in cells … Continue reading →

NESS ZIONA, Israel, March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuroDerm, Ltd. announced today the results of a Phase I safety and pharmacokinetic trial of ND0612, a novel drug formulation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. ND0612 is a proprietary levodopa/carbidopa liquid formula administered continuously sub-cutaneously through a patch pump. It is designed to provide steady levodopa blood levels for the reduction of motor complications in Parkinson's disease. Results of this study support the continued development of ND0612 for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. In this double-blind, placebo controlled, dose-escalation trial in young, healthy volunteers, ND0612 was shown to be safe and tolerable in all of the tested doses. Furthermore, clinically meaningful levodopa concentrations were reached and, for the first time in man, steady state levodopa concentrations were maintained in a practical manner both day and night. The full results of this study will be presented at a future scientific meeting. "ND0612's success in its first phase I trial means that clinically significant steady state levodopa concentrations can, for the first time, be maintained, both day and night, through a conveniently administered drug. With ND0612, steady state levodopa levels, the elusive holy grail of Parkinson's levodopa therapy, should be available to all … Continue reading →

UCB ( UCBJF ) recently announced that it has licensed exclusive global rights to tozadenant (SYN115) for Parkinson's disease from Biotie Therapies. The Candidate Tozadenant is an orally administered, selective inhibitor of the adenosine 2a receptor, which is being developed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. UCB's decision to in-license the candidate was based on encouraging results from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIb study that evaluated tozadenant as an adjunctive therapy in levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients. Phase III program will be conducted by Biotie for which patient enrolment will start by the first half of 2015. Terms of the Deal UCB and Biotie had initially announced their collaboration in 2010. However, with the in-licensing of tozadenant, the original agreement has been modified. Biotie will now receive an upfront payment of $20 million from UCB. Under the original agreement, Biotie was supposed to receive an additional $340 million on the achievement of future milestones. Under the revised deal, Biotie will receive additional amounts in the low triple-digit millions in total, over the next six years, on the achievement of defined development, regulatory and commercialization milestones. Both UCB and Biotie will work on the ongoing clinical development of this candidate. Manufacturing … Continue reading →

Mar. 1, 2013 Researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich identify a novel signal transduction pathway, which activates the parkin gene and prevents stress-induced neuronal cell death. Parkinson's disease is the most common movement disorder and the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. It is characterized by the loss of dopamin-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, a region in the midbrain, which is implicated in motor control. The typical clinical signs include resting tremor, muscle rigidity, slowness of movements, and impaired balance. In about 10% of cases Parkinson's disease is caused by mutations in specific genes, one of them is called parkin. "Parkinson-associated genes are particularly interesting for researchers, since insights into the function and dysfunction of these genes allow conclusions on the pathomechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease," says Dr. Konstanze Winklhofer of the Adolf Butenandt Institute at the LMU Munich, who is also affiliated with the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). Winklhofer and her colleagues had previously observed that parkin can protect neurons from cell death under various stress conditions. In the course of this project, it became obvious that a loss of parkin function impairs the activity and integrity of mitochondria, which serve as the cellular power … Continue reading →

UCB (UCBJY) recently announced that it has licensed exclusive global rights to tozadenant (SYN115) for Parkinsons disease from Biotie Therapies. The Candidate Tozadenant is an orally administered, selective inhibitor of the adenosine 2a receptor, which is being developed for the treatment of Parkinsons disease. UCBs decision to in-license the candidate was based on encouraging results from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase IIb study that evaluated tozadenant as an adjunctive therapy in levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients. Phase III program will be conducted by Biotie for which patient enrolment will start by the first half of 2015. Terms of the Deal UCB and Biotie had initially announced their collaboration in 2010. However, with the in-licensing of tozadenant, the original agreement has been modified. Biotie will now receive an upfront payment of $20 million from UCB. Under the original agreement, Biotie was supposed to receive an additional $340 million on the achievement of future milestones. Under the revised deal, Biotie will receive additional amounts in the low triple-digit millions in total, over the next six years, on the achievement of defined development, regulatory and commercialization milestones. Both UCB and Biotie will work on the ongoing clinical development of this candidate. Manufacturing and commercialization … Continue reading →

The Parkinsons Disease Support Group met Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the McGee Center with a very large group in attendance. Dr. Walter Lajara-Nanson, MD, was the special guest speaker. Dr. Lajara-Nanson is a Movement Disorder specialist from Bartlesville, Okla. The title of his presentation was Living Well With PD Understanding Parkinsons Disease and Current Treatments. Dr. Lajara-Nansons presentation covered a comprehensive overview of Parkinsons Disease from when Dr. James Parkinson first described it as a disease in 1817 to the present time with medicines, treatments, and research. The causes of PD are not known but experts believe it is a result of interaction between genetic and environmental causes. Parkinsons Disease is a chronic, progressive disease in which ordinary movement and other symptoms may worsen oven time. Dopamine produced in the brain helps control movement. When there is a loss of dopamine, it leads to difficulty controlling movement. At the present time, there are four PD medications: Levodopa which replaces dopamine; COMT inhibitors which preserve levodopa; Dopamine agonists which mimic dopamine; and MAO-B inhibitors which preserve existing dopamine. Dr. Lajara-Nanson encouraged those present to take their medicines as directed by their doctor as best they can as this helps the medicine … Continue reading →

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (AMBS), a biotechnology company discovering and developing treatments and diagnostics for diseases associated with neurodegeneration and apoptosis centered around its patented therapeutic protein MANF, today announced that Dr. John W. Commissiong, Chief Scientific Officer, will be presenting data generated in six hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rodent models of Parkinson's disease at the 15th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics (ASENT) in Washington, DC on March 1st, 2013. The meeting is being held February 28 March 2, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, Maryland. "There is tremendous interest in our progress in Parkinson's disease research, and I look forward to meeting with leading researchers and industry professionals to discuss the important results we are seeing in our studies with MANF," said Dr. Commissiong. "ASENT is an outstanding forum to interact with colleagues, and stay apprised of the latest research in this field." About ASENT The American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics is an independent non-profit organization established in 1997 by leaders in academia, government, advocacy and industry to facilitate the process by which new therapies are made available to patients with neurological disorders. Its primary goal is to encourage and advance … Continue reading →

BIOTIE THERAPIES CORP. STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 27 February 2013 at 9.00 a.m. Amendment to the release on UCB license of worldwide rights to tozadenant in Parkinson`s disease from Biotie With reference to the stock exchange release on 26 February 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Biotie clarifies that the additional milestones under the revised agreement and Biotie being responsible for conducting phase 3 development of tozadenant are not likely to have significant impact on profitability of Biotie during the duration of the clinical development. The amended release in its entirety may be found below. UCB to license worldwide rights to tozadenant in Parkinson`s disease from Biotie Novel product in development for the treatment of people living with Parkinson`s disease Biotie receives USD 20 million license fee payment Original agreement modified: Biotie to conduct phase 3 development Biotie and UCB announced today that UCB has licensed worldwide exclusive rights to Biotie`s tozadenant (SYN115), a selective inhibitor of the adenosine 2a receptor, currently in development for the treatment of Parkinson`s disease. As a result, Biotie will receive a one-time fee payment of USD 20 million from UCB. In addition, the parties have amended their original license agreement, such that Biotie will now conduct phase … Continue reading →