Marta Figueiredo, PhD,  managing science editor—

A new therapeutic approach in which patient-derived dopamine-producing neurons are transplanted into the brain may halt Parkinson’s disease progression, a case report suggests. The approach uses patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs),  which are cells collected from the skin or blood that researchers can reprogram in a lab…

Roche presented initial data from an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating prasinezumab (PRX002/RG7935) — an antibody against the alpha-synuclein protein — in more than 300 people with early stage Parkinson’s disease. Data highlighted that the trial’s participants, including those on MAO-B inhibitors, represent a wider population…

Theranexus’ lead candidate THN102 significantly lowers excessive daytime sleepiness in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to final data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. “The symptom addressed by THN102 … affects around 40% of patients. It is particularly debilitating and represents one of the primary risk factors…

Researchers have developed a way to closely study the function of a cell’s transportation network, made up of structures called microtubules, that appears to be impaired in people with Parkinson’s disease. This technique, called “microstretcher,” may help to better understand microtubules’ deficits and their underlying causes in Parkinson’s,…

An investigational gene therapy, called VY‐AADC01, boosts motor responses to levodopa that is given intravenously —particularly at a low dose — in people with Parkinson’s disease, a sub-study within a Phase 1b trial shows. These findings, along with positive data from the main PD-1101 study (NCT01973543), support the potential…

Long-term treatment with Gocovri (amantadine) extended-release capsules was safe and led to sustained reductions in dyskinesia — involuntary, jerky movements — and off episodes in people with Parkinson’s disease, final data from a two-year Phase 3 clinical trial show. “As the longest-running amantadine study to date,…

Blood levels of valosin-containing protein (VCP) — an enzyme involved in protein degradation — may be used as a biomarker of preclinical and early clinical stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD), a study suggests. Reduced levels of VCP in the blood were found in both animal models of the…

A type of computational analysis that works to analyze typing patterns may help in detecting motor signs of Parkinson’s disease at early stages, the researchers who developed the analysis report. This new method, which appeared to allow researchers to discriminate between people with early Parkinson’s and those without the disease,…

Drinking coffee regularly may help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases — including Parkinson’s disease — particularly in men, according to a new report from the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC). With the substantial improvements in medical care, health, and quality of life over the…

People with Parkinson’s disease are at elevated risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures mostly because of the balance problems inherent to the disease and poorer bone health, a review study reports. These findings support making fracture risk assessment part of standard care for Parkinson’s patients. The study, “…