Parkinson's News Today: Treatment via pump better at controlling symptoms

New trial results found a drug delivered continuously through a pump was more effective at controlling symptoms of Parkinson's disease without causing dyskinesia. Dyskinesia refers to involuntary and uncontrolled movements of the limbs, head or whole body that are common in Parkinson's disease patients and associated with long-term use of a Parkinson's drug called levodopa.

The University of Cincinnati's Alberto Espay, MD, was the U.S. principal investigator for the trial that tested the effectiveness of a drug called ND0612. Similarly to an insulin pump for people with diabetes, a pump delivers the liquid drug under the skin over 24 hours.

Over three months, the trial found patients receiving ND0612 had approximately 1.73 more hours of daily "on time," or time when Parkinson's symptoms do not interfere with daily activities, compared to patients who took the drug's oral formulation called LC/DC.

"With these positive results for the primary endpoint [goal] and four secondary endpoints, ND0612 has confirmed its potential as an effective treatment strategy for Parkinson’s disease patients with motor fluctuations, despite optimization of oral therapies,” Espay, director and endowed chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute and a UC Health physician, told Parkinson's News Today.

"Continuous subcutaneous LD/CD treatment shows promise to change the treatment paradigm and transform the lives of patients with Parkinson’s disease,” Espay continued.

Read the Parkinson's News Today article.

Featured photo at top of Dr. Espay. Photo/University of Cincinnati.