direct administration to the brain (that’s new) of GDNF (also new)
The FDA granted approval of Nourianz to Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
- A universal feature of Parkinson’s is aggregation, or clumping, of the protein alpha-synuclein in the brains and body cells of people with the disease (similar to the amyloid clumps seen in Alzheimer’s disease). Multiple drug companies are conducting clinical trials to try to prevent or break up synuclein clumps, which scientists believe could stop PD in its tracks.
- Several potentially disease-modifying therapies continue to advance via “repurposing” — scientifically evaluating drugs approved for various conditions for their benefit in PD. Isradipine (a hypertension drug) and inosine (an antioxidant supplement) are now in Phase III trials. The field also has seen promise in the diabetes drug exenatide and the cancer drug nilotinib.