Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma has asked Japanese authorities to approve itsTrerief (zonisamide) as a new therapy for parkinsonismin dementia patients with Lewy bodies, the company announced in a press release. Trerief went on sale in Japan in March 2009 as a treatment for Parkinsonspatients who saw insufficient results with levodopa and other Parkinsons-specific drugs. After a 2013 expansion of its originalapproval, Trerief is now accepted as a treatment option inJapan, where a2014 Patient Surveyreported some144,000 patients suffering from vascular dementia and unspecified dementia,including dementia with Lewes bodies (DLB). Parkinsonism is a general term used to describe a group of neurological disorders that cause movement problems similar to those observed in Parkinsons disease, like tremors, slow movement and stiffness. The DLB form of dementia causes progressive cognitive impairment. Parkinsonism is one of the four core features of DLB, alongside fluctuating cognition, recurrent visual hallucinations and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder. DLB is classified as part of the Lewy body disease spectrum, which also includes Parkinsons disease. Since symptoms of parkinsonism virtually mimic those of Parkinsons disease, Sumitomo Dainippon is now seeking approval for Trerief as another therapeutic option for treating parkinsonism in DLB, under the assumption that its action will … Continue reading →

(Left to right): Heidi and Hans-Juergen Koch/Minden Pictures; Zephyr/Science Source; Robert Blanken By Giorgia GuglielmiSep. 1, 2017 , 3:05 PM Something is changing the sex of Costa Rican crocodiles After probing and peering at the genitalia of nearly 500 crocodiles in Palo Verde, Costa Rica, a team of ecologists found something odd: The sex ratio was way out of whack, with males outnumbering females four to one among hatchling crocs. The researcherslater discovered that the animals tissues are tainted with a synthetic hormone that may be causing them to switch sex. Anti-inflammatory cuts risk of heart attack A clinical trial of more than 10,000 heart attack patients supports a novel way to protect them from a stroke or a second attack: with drugs that stop inflammation. The approach has been advanced by some scientists for years, but this is the first trial to conclusively show that it works. Cardiologists hailed the study, reported this week, as vindication for the heart attackinflammation link, which hadnt been provedin people. Modified T cells that attack leukemia become first gene therapy approved in the United States The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week approved a new cancer therapy that involves genetically modifying a … Continue reading →

A treatment that could reverse some of the main symptoms of Parkinsons disease potentially enabling patients to recover enough control of their movements to play tennis is set to be trialled in humans for the first time. In what was described as a major leap forward, scientists in Japan managed to significantly improve the condition of monkeys given an artificially induced version of the disease. They did this by taking tissue from adult humans and turning it into stem cells, which are capable of becomingany kind of cell. These were then used to create new brain cells in the monkeys, with dramatic results. Parkinsons involves a progressive loss of brain cells that release a chemical called dopamine, causing the trademark uncontrollable shaking and loss of balance. The success of the experiment raises hopes of reproducing astonishing results achieved by transplanting brain tissue from foetuses into Parkinsons patients in the 1990s. This appeared to be hugely successful, until major sideeffects were discovered and the trials had to be stopped. The scientists in Japan monitored the monkeys for signs of cancer and other feared sideeffects, but have concluded it was now safe to proceed to clinical trials in people. Writing in the … Continue reading →

Parkinsons disease can be very visible; one need only think of Mohammed Ali or Michael J Fox. But in terms of commanding our medical and economic attention is seems to be more of an orphan disease. It affects approximately 1 million Americans, dwarfed heart disease that affects 28.4 million or diabetes affected 29 million. So this weeks major advance in treating Parkinsons may have been overlooked in the media. The FDA has approved amantadine [1] in a new formulation for the dyskinesia in Parkinsons patients based on a Phase 3 study reported in JAMA Neurology. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled it doesnt get much better, that demonstrated Lets unpack some of what they found. Parkinsons Disease is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that primarily affects motor nerves. It manifests itself with rigidity, shaking and a general slowing of movement. It is, in some ways being trapped in a body that doesnt respond well to commands and as a consequence can increase depression and anxiety in patients. It's cause is unknown and involves the usual suspects, genetics and the environment. With no cure available, symptomatic relief is the only relief possible. Parkinsons is manifested on … Continue reading →

Acorda Therapeutics Inc. shares ACOR, +4.33% slid 26% premarket Tuesday, after the company said it has received a Refusal to File letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding its new drug application for inbrija, an investigational treatment for symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The FDA said the NDA was not complete enough to permit a substantive review. Specifically, it questioned the date by which the manufacturing site would be ready for inspection, as well as the submission of the drug master production record. The company said it will seek a meeting with the FDA and that it believes the issues can be addressed. "We will work with the FDA as quickly as possible to address the open issues and to clarify the path to successfully re-file our application," Chief Executive Ron Cohen said in a statement. "We remain confident in INBRIJA's data package and its promise as an important new therapy for people with Parkinson's disease." Shares have gained 37% in 2017, while the S&P 500 SPX, +0.20% has gained 9%. See more here: UPDATE: Acorda Therapeutics shares crater 26% premarket after FDA rejects application for Parkinson's treatment - MarketWatch … Continue reading →

A collaboration has been announced between AstraZeneca and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company for the development and commercialisation of an alpha-synuclein antibody, MEDI1341, as a potential treatment for Parkinsons disease. Today there are no medicines that can slow or halt the degenerative progress of Parkinson's disease so this remains a large area of unmet medical need, emphasized Mene Pangalos, executive vice president, Innovative Medicines & Early Development Biotech Unit and Global Business Development at AstraZeneca. Takeda has an excellent track record in neuroscience research and we are excited to be working together. By combining our scientific expertise and sharing the risks and cost of development, we hope to accelerate the advancement of MEDI1341 as a promising new approach to support the treatment of people with Parkinsons disease around the world. Despite modest advancements in maintenance therapies, Parkinsons disease continues to represent a devastating diagnosis and a burdensome challenge for therapeutic discovery, added Emiliangelo Ratti, head, Global CNS Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda. Our collaboration with AstraZeneca is a sophisticated one that will enable us to efficiently advance a validated target in a new modality, with the aim of improving the lives of patients. MEDI1341 is an antibody that has a lower interaction with … Continue reading →

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given a green light to Titan Pharmaceuticals to begin a first-in-human clinical trial testing an implant that provides continuous release of ropinirole to treatParkinsons signs and symptoms. In the open-labelPhase 1/2 trial (NCT03250117), which is nowrecruiting, roughly 20 Parkinsons disease patients taking levodopa along with oral ropinirole (marketed as Requip) will be switched to the subdermal, or under the skin, implant for three months. They will continue using levodopa. This study will measure how muchropiniroleis released in the blood during the three months, and evaluate possibleside effects caused by the new drug delivery route. It will also look for evidenceof treatment efficacy through changes inthe severity of Parkinsons disease in participants. The trial will take place at three or more U.S. sites, although only one in Michigan is currently registered. New treatments that offer continuous delivery of medication providing non-pulsatile stimulation of dopamine receptors in the brain appear to have some advantages over oral formulations, Dr.Aaron Ellenbogenof the Michigan Institute of Neurological Disorders said in a press release. The ProNeura implants with ropinirole could potentially offer an important treatment option for continuous drug delivery that overcomes the fluctuating drug levels associated with … Continue reading →

Last year, I reported on Titan Pharmaceuticals and partner Braeburn Pharmaceuticals' milestone Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for an implant to treat opioid addiction. Using Titan's "ProNeura" platform technologycomposed of matchstick-sized implants inserted in the upper armthe companies won marketing approval for Probuphine, which dispenses a medication called buprenorphine for up to six months. This therapy both treats pain while weaning users off of more powerful addictive opioids and presents one option for tackling the opioid crisis. Now, Titan has been given the FDA go-ahead to launch trials for a long-acting implant with a commonly used Parkinson's disease drug called ropinirole. The automated delivery system could be particularly useful for Parkinson's patients, as the company explains, since a drop-off in symptom control medication levels can make life extremely difficult for people suffering from the disease. Parkinson's symptoms may include tremors, stiffness, and loss of balance. "While oral formulations of ropinirole have greatly benefitted those suffering from Parkinson's disease, many patients develop serious motor complications and dyskinesias after several years, due to the peak-trough fluctuations of medication in the blood," said Titan executive vice president and chief development officer Kate Beebe in a statement. "Our ropinirole implant is designed to … Continue reading →

Virtual house calls with a neurologist can be as effective as in-person visits for Parkinsons disease patients, offering convenience and comfort, a clinical trial indicates. The study, National randomized controlled trial of virtual house calls for Parkinson disease, was published in the journal Neurology. The internet has led to what is known as telemedicine, or virtual house calls between physicians and patients in the treatment of certain conditions. But whilepilot efforts have suggested that virtual house calls are feasible, valuable to patients, and have similar clinical outcomes to in-person care in Parkinsons disease, they arent used much in chronic conditions like Parkinsons, researchers said. The team decided to conduct a clinical trial(NCT02038959) to evaluate whether virtual house calls are feasible for Parkinsons patients and can improve their health. Researchers also wanted to know how virtual house calls affect the quality of patients care and their quality of life, compared with in-person visits. And they wanted to know whether virtual house calls saved patients time, the need for them to travel, and can reduce caregiver burden. The proportion of patients who completed at least one virtual visit, as well as the number of virtual visits they completed on time, were the … Continue reading →

Parkinson's disease is one of a larger group of neurological conditions called motor system disorders. Historians have found evidence of the disease as far back as 5000 B.C. It was first described as "the shaking palsy" in 1817 by British doctor James Parkinson. Because of Parkinson's early work in identifying symptoms, the disease came to bear his name. In the normal brain, some nerve cells produce the chemical dopamine, which transmits signals within the brain to produce smooth movement of muscles. In Parkinson's patients, 80 percent or more of these dopamine-producing cells are damaged, dead, or otherwise degenerated. This causes the nerve cells to fire wildly, leaving patients unable to control their movements. Symptoms usually show up in one or more of four ways: Though full-blown Parkinson's can be crippling or disabling, experts say early symptoms of the disease may be so subtle and gradual that patients sometimes ignore them or attribute them to the effects of aging. At first, patients may feel overly tired, "down in the dumps," or a little shaky. Their speech may become soft and they may become irritable for no reason. Movements may be stiff, unsteady, or unusually slow. Read more from the original source: … Continue reading →