News

Smallest Clumps of Alpha-synuclein Protein Seen to Drive Parkinson’s

Alpha-synuclein protein clumps — the toxic aggregates related to nerve damage in Parkinson’s disease — vary, including in size, and small fragments appear to drive cellular toxicity compared with larger fragments, a study shows. Its findings were confirmed in post-mortem examinations of brain tissue from Parkinson’s patients, showing smaller clumps…

50 Parkinson’s Genes Found With New Multidisciplinary Approach

Fifty new genes that modified signs of Parkinson’s disease in a fruit fly model have been discovered using a multidisciplinary approach involving genomics, computational tools, and patient sample analysis, a study has reported. Some gene candidates worsened Parkinson’s signs while others conferred neuroprotection, “underscoring their therapeutic potential,” the researchers…

FDA Seeking Information Before OK of Apomorphine Infusion Device

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants more information before it will approve Supernus Pharmaceuticals’ new drug application (NDA) resubmission of SPN-830, its apomorphine infusion pump. Supernus is seeking the approval of SPN-830 for the continuous treatment of “off” episodes in adults with Parkinson’s disease. These…

Faster Progression Found in ‘Body-involvement’ Parkinson’s in Study

People with Parkinson’s disease who show early dysfunction in the nerves controlling heartbeat tend to experience faster disease progression, a new study shows. According to researchers, these results support a new approach differentiating “brain-predominant” Parkinson’s from disease with “body-involvement.” “These findings correspond well to the results of…

LSVT-BIG Therapy as Effective Online as in Clinic for Parkinson’s

Four weeks of physical therapy — specifically, the Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT)-BIG program — given via telemedicine led to improvements in life quality and symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients similar to those observed with in-person use of LSVT-BIG, according to a small study. Larger studies of the virtual exercise…

Dosing Begins for Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE Study of BIIB122

Dosing has begun in LIGHTHOUSE, a Phase 3 clinical trial testing BIIB122 — an experimental inhibitor of LRRK2 being developed by Biogen and Denali Therapeutics — in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. The study (NCT05418673), underway at two clinical sites in Colorado and Florida, is recruiting up…