Nitrase Therapeutics’ NDC-0524, an antibody therapy for Parkinson’s disease, significantly reduced alpha-synuclein aggregation and spreading in mouse models of the disease, according to preclinical data released by the company. The antibody targets nitrated alpha-synuclein, a misfolded form of the protein that forms toxic clumps in dopaminergic neurons, the nerve cells…

Mice modeling Parkinson’s disease performed better on tests of memory and spatial recognition when given daily under-the-skin injections of PNA5, an experimental ProNeurogen therapy targeting cognitive symptoms — suggesting the treatment’s potential to slow cognitive decline in patients. In this preclinical study, researchers from the University of Arizona…

A type of RNA structure called G-quadruplex, or G4 — a four-stranded RNA structure that forms when calcium enters cells in response to stress — may offer a scaffold for the alpha-synuclein protein to clump together and become toxic to nerve cells in Parkinson’s disease, research suggests. In a…

A new mouse model replicates the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and its progression in patients, beginning with diminished smell and other disease nonmotor symptoms that are early signs of the neurodegenerative disorder and often evident before problems with gait and balance arrive, scientists report. Many mouse models overexpress…

By activating an enzyme known as beta-glucocerebrosidase, or GCase, the experimental therapy GT-02287 is able to improve nerve survival and reduce the dysfunction of lysosomes — structures that work like cellular garbage disposal systems and clear away molecular debris — in cell models of Parkinson’s disease. The Gain…

Levels of the protein prosaposin, known as PSAP, are altered in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease, and these changes are linked to worse motor symptoms, a study discovered. Mice lacking PSAP were more susceptible to the loss of nerve cells seen in Parkinson’s patients. Treatment with the…

Exposure to alpha-synuclein, a protein that accumulates in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients, led to inflammation and damage to nerve cells in the gut of mice carrying a human gene associated with several autoimmune disorders, a new study showed. Alpha-synuclein-related autoimmunity also induced constipation — a gut-related…

The experimental oral therapy UCB0599 — now in clinical trials — improves motor coordination and reduces inflammation and levels of the disease-related protein alpha-synuclein in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. “This comprehensive package of [Parkinson’s]-relevant improvements supports the rationale of directly targeting misfolded [alpha-synuclein] with the small molecule minzasolmin…

Microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells, may contribute to Parkinson’s disease by releasing tiny vesicles filled with alpha-synuclein — the protein that builds up to toxic levels in Parkinson’s — a mouse study suggests. This release, which was associated with greater nerve cell damage and worse motor function, was…

The hormone irisin prevents the buildup of toxic alpha-synuclein protein, leading to the preservation of nerve cells and easing motor symptoms in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. Experiments showed the hormone had an ability to facilitate the breakdown of toxic alpha-synuclein through lysosomes, the…