Trial results on pirepemat for falls in Parkinson’s disease due soon
Top-line data expected in 1st quarter as all follow-ups complete
All patients have completed final follow-up visits in a Phase 2 clinical trial testing pirepemat, an oral treatment designed to reduce falls in Parkinson’s disease, and top-line results are expected in the first quarter, said developer Irlab Therapeutics.
The development “marks an important milestone in our clinical development program for pirepemat,” Kristina Torfgård, PhD, CEO of Irlab, said in a company press release. “We are delighted that as many as 87% of the enrolled patients completed the study indicating a low drop-out rate and that the participants enrolled in the current study are reported to be very satisfied during the treatment period.”
Falls are a common problem that can lead to disabling outcomes in people with Parkinson’s disease. Pirepemat, previously known as IRL752, is designed to reduce the risk of falls by improving the strength of certain nerve signals in the brain. The therapy acts to modulate the activity of nerve cell receptors 5HT7 and alpha-2, resulting in increased levels of dopamine and noradrenaline, two neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers.
Available data indicate fewer falls
The Phase 2b REACT-PD trial (NCT05258071) tested two doses of pirepemat against a placebo in adults with Parkinson’s disease. In the study, which finished enrollment last year, participants were given the medication for three months. The main goal was to compare the rate of falls during treatment to the rate of falls in the month before entering the study.
Irlab said available data from the study suggest that falls were less frequent during the study period than in the month before. Since the data are still blinded, it’s not yet clear whether that was due to a reduction in risk among patients given pirepemat, the company said. Still, “it can be concluded that participation in this study leads to a reduction in fallrates,” said Joakim Tedroff, MD, PhD, the company’s chief medical officer.
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