Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals has re-submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), once again seeking the approval of its below-the-tongue formulation of apomorphine — called APL-130277 — for Parkinson’s off periods. The re-submission is a follow-up to the FDA’s “complete response…

Inflammation in the gut, a hallmark of autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, may contribute to an earlier risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a recent review of genetic, epidemiological and animal model studies. The risk, however, is very small with only 3% to 5%…

Treatment with Aricept (donepezil) for six weeks does not seem to improve balance, either while standing or walking, for Parkinson’s patients with a minimal history of falls, according to results from a single-site Phase 2 trial. The study, “Effects of augmenting cholinergic neurotransmission on balance in Parkinson’s…

CNM-Au8, an investigational therapy by Clene Nanomedicine, improved the survival of dopaminergic neurons, helped prevent loss of mitochondria, and rescued motor function in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. The effects of CNM-Au8 will now be assessed in an open-label (no placebo group) Phase 2…

Kyowa Kirin’s Nourianz (istradefylline) tablets are now available in the United States as an add-on treatment for off periods in Parkinson’s disease patients on a carbidopa/levodopa regimen. Off periods — when the effects of a medication wear off before a new dose can be taken — are characterized…

Using its brain mapping platform, Inscopix will team up with researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to investigate how changes in brain activity alter the functioning of nerve cells. The goal is to identify new therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease. The collaboration will be led…

The Silverstein Foundation for Parkinson’s with GBA together with Q-State Biosciences have launched Chamishi Therapeutics, a company aiming to develop innovative treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Chamishi will initially focus on developing antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies for Parkinson’s patients carrying mutations in the…

In a recent review, scientists highlight the potential of gene editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 to not only understand the molecular mechanisms behind Parkinson’s disease, but also identify new targets for treatment. The review study, “Interrogating Parkinson’s disease associated redox targets: Potential application of CRISPR editing,” was published in…

A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique allows for the visualization of molecular changes in the brain, a study reports. This technique will allow researchers to further understand how the brain works and how it changes with ageing or during the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. Moreover,…

Prevail Therapeutics will soon start its Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and early efficacy of its one-time gene therapy — called PR001 — for Parkinson’s disease associated with mutations in the GBA1 gene. The trial is expected to enroll up to 16 people with confirmed GBA1…