Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has issued a new group of guidelines designed to aid clinicians in prescribing the most effective and appropriate dopaminergic medications — those that increase or mimic dopamine — to patients in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. The new guidelines, endorsed by…

A committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a negative opinion for Nouryant (istradefylline) — approved as Nourianz in the U.S. — as an add-on medication for treating “off” episodes in those with Parkinson’s disease in the European Union. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) is maintaining…

By lessening the involuntary movements, called dyskinesia, experienced by people with advanced Parkinson’s disease, treatment with AbbVie’s Duodopa (levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel) was linked with better health-related quality of life, according to a post-hoc analysis of a clinical trial. Duodopa treatment also was tied to other added benefits, namely…

A new, potent inhibitor of the Bach1 protein — whose levels are elevated in brain tissue of Parkinson’s disease patients — showed neuroprotective effects in lab tests and lessened symptoms in a mouse model of acute Parkinson’s, a study found. Most importantly, the inhibitor had therapeutic potential when administered…

An investigational therapy, ATH434 was able to reverse some gastrointestinal problems in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, according to its developer Alterity Therapeutics. “Practicing clinicians are well aware of the substantial impact that these symptoms have on the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson’s disease,” David Stamler,…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Insightec’s incision-free brain “surgery” technology — Exablate Neuro — for the treatment of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients. According to the company, the device is indicated to use in patients with moderate-to-severe motor complications, such as tremors, stiffness and uncontrolled, involuntary movement…

Scientists at the Duke University School of Medicine have received two grants totaling $18 million to investigate how different cells in the brain and in the gut may foster the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease. The grants from the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative will fund two…

A clinical study is assessing whether a specific type of rehabilitation therapy — called neurologic music therapy — may help people with Parkinson’s disease recover fine motor skills, such as those required for writing, self-care, and fine object manipulation. The trial (NCT03049033) is underway at the University of…

A new Phase 2 clinical trial will test the psychedelic painkiller ketamine as a treatment for levodopa-induced dyskinesia in people with Parkinson’s disease. The trial, called KET-LID (NCT04912115), is expected to start enrolling participants this month. The first results are expected by the end of the year. Launched by …

A Phase 1 trial of AP-472, Appello Pharmaceutical‘s lead investigational therapy to ease levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease, has started dosing healthy adults. The study will randomly assign young, middle-aged, and elderly adults to escalating doses of AP-472 or a placebo. It aims to evaluate the therapy’s safety, tolerability, and…