Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

ATH434, Alterity Therapeutics’ experimental oral therapy, prevented a loss in the sense of smell — an early and common symptom of Parkinson’s disease — in a mouse model, and helped to preserve nerve cells and restore motor skills in older animals, a study showed. These findings add to those…

The activity of multiple genes in the brain varies according to sex among people with Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. These differences may contribute to discrepancies in how Parkinson’s tends to affect men and women. “While males have a higher age-adjusted disease incidence and are more frequently affected…

Suppressing the production of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) led to reductions in alpha-synuclein-related abnormalities and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. “Our data indicate that NOS2 may be a therapeutic target for modulating [Parkinson’s disease] in the brain,” the…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted its full clinical hold on IkT-148009, Inhibikase Therapeutics’ investigational oral therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The agency had placed a hold on all clinical trials of IkT-158009 in December, just a few months after Inhibikase had begun dosing Parkinson’s patients in a …

The PD GENEration study is halfway to its goal of providing free genetic testing and counseling to 15,000 people with Parkinson’s disease, with 7,500 patients included in the effort to date. “Ensuring that the entire Parkinson’s community — including the 90,000 individuals expected to receive a PD [Parkinson’s…

A cognitive-motor training program featuring a video game platform that promotes exercise is feasible for people with Parkinson’s disease to use, a new study demonstrates. Patients using the program along with standard rehabilitation showed comparable and greater motor and cognitive improvements relative to those on standard rehabilitation alone. These preliminary…

Treatment with stem cells engineered to produce a signaling protein called VEGF — which drives the growth of blood vessels — was found to lead to pain relief in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers say engineering stem cells for use in transplant “may potentiate the therapeutic efficacy”…

VectorY Therapeutics and Annogen have announced a new agreement to work toward developing vectorized antibody therapies for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. “We are delighted to work together with Annogen on novel tailored cell-specific promoters to enhance VectorY’s transformative AAV-vectorized antibody platform and its potential to…

A Phase 2b clinical trial testing the investigational oral therapy mesdopetam, which aims to reduce levodopa-induced dyskinesia (involuntary movements) in people with Parkinson’s disease, did not reach its main goal. However, some promising reductions in dyskinesia measures were seen with the treatment. Top-line results from the trial were…

A new metric called the Parkinson’s Disease Social Functioning Scale (PDSFS) can measure social functioning in people with Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. PDSFS scores show associations with the severity of psychiatric symptoms, suggesting better treatment of symptoms could improve patients’ ability to function in social settings, researchers…