Ana de Barros, PhD,  managing science editor—

Growblox Sciences has filed the first of several likely patent applications for cannabis-based compounds developed by Growblox Life Sciences, its wholly owned subsidiary. The application applies to pharmaceutical-grade mixtures that might be used to treat patients with neurodegeneration, especially those with Parkinson’s disease. Growblox Life Sciences is focused on researching and developing cannabis-based medicines.  The company uses various…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has awarded a research grant to Asceneuron to develop small molecules with the potential to treat dementia related to Parkinson’s disease. The grant, in an unspecified amount, from the MJFF Therapeutic Pipeline Program will: Support the further development of M1 PAMs (positive allosteric modulators of the…

Great Lakes NeuroTech (GLNT) announced that it will partner with UCB to develop quantitative tools that will help Parkison’s disease (PD) patients and their clinicians to better assess the impact of  treatment. The goal is to improve patients’ individual experiences as well as, ultimately, improve their quality of life.

A new device that may improve the autonomy and quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease will be tested in a 19-month study that combines the products and skills of two companies, Aguettant and  French company Biocorp. The collaborative study, part of the APOKONNECT project, will be funded…

NeuroDerm has started enrolling Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients in iNDiGO, a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of ND0612L, the company’s levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) subcutaneous liquid formulation. Levodopa and dopamine agonists, the first line of defense against Parkinson’s disease, are drugs commonly used to improve and control the symptoms of tremor, muscular…

The nonprofit Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon (PRO) will unveil a series of Parkinson’s Ready training for the Portland Police Department, local hospitals and clinics (Legacy Health Systems), Portland International Airport security services (Transportation Security Administration), and local hotels in downtown Portland. The initiative is included in the organization’s program…

Changes in the retina of the eye may reveal the presence of Parkinson’s disease before brain changes and early symptoms appear, researchers at University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology report. Their discovery may lead to a non-invasive and low-cost eye test to detect Parkinson’s well in advance of the tremors and muscle stiffness that characterize…

Parkinson’s disease patients in Europe will soon have to access a new treatment option for their disease, after the European Commission (EC) approved the use of  Ongentys (opicapone) — developed and marketed by Bial — as an adjunctive therapy for patients with motor fluctuation. The drug, a third-generation catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, is approved as…

Ann Johnson, a retired veterinarian diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) almost a decade ago, usually travels 130 miles from Champaign to Chicago to be treated by Dr. Christopher Goetz at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center. But her most recent appointment lasted less than 30…

Cynapsus Therapeutics recently provided an update on APL-130277, its sublingual formulation of apomorphine hydrochloride or apomorphine. Apomorphine injection is the only treatment approved for acute, intermittent “off” episodes in advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Motor symptoms such as tremor at rest, rigidity, and impaired movement or freezing, as well as difficulties with starting…