A series of innovative trials aimed at accelerating the development of treatments to slow or halt Parkinson’s disease are underway across Australia. Researchers are actively recruiting participants for the next phase of these trials, which are part of a national initiative to address the condition urgently.
Dr Derrick Beech, diagnosed with Parkinson’s several years ago, experiences mobility challenges rather than tremors. His difficulties primarily involve walking, speaking, and writing. Currently, he manages symptoms with three daily pills that help replenish the dopamine lost due to the disease. However, while these treatments improve quality of life, they don’t halt or reverse the disease’s progression, as noted by Simon Lewis, a cognitive neurology professor at Macquarie University.
In an effort to find more effective solutions, Derrick is participating in the Australian Parkinson’s Mission, a multi-million dollar project testing current medications to determine if they can alter the disease’s trajectory. The goal is to rapidly utilise safe, existing drugs that could be repurposed for Parkinson’s.
The trials focus on various medicines already used for different conditions, including asthma and type 2 diabetes. The upcoming phase will assess ambroxol, a simple cough medicine, and doxycycline, an antibiotic. These medications target multiple pathways in the body linked to inflammation and a gene called alpha-synuclein, which is associated with the disease.
Lewis highlights that these trials represent a groundbreaking approach as they allow simultaneous testing of multiple drugs under the same protocol. Through blood biomarkers, researchers aim to identify whether the drugs effectively engage their targets, reduce inflammation, or interact with other crucial pathways. The findings from the initial stage of trials are expected to be released later this year, with a significant focus on determining which patients will benefit most from each treatment option.
This concerted research effort marks a pivotal step in the quest to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s disease, with the hope of discovering more effective therapeutic avenues.