Parkinson's Disease Drug Therapies in the Clinical Trial Pipeline: 2024 Update - PMC
/PMC/2024
Why It Matters
This caught my attention because it shows how the Parkinson's drug pipeline has shifted toward actually targeting disease mechanisms rather than just managing symptoms. The alpha-synuclein candidates are particularly interesting — if even one works, it would be the first disease-modifying treatment. The GLP-1 angle (think Ozempic-type drugs) is fascinating because we're seeing these compounds pop up everywhere, and some are already FDA-approved, meaning faster potential access if trials succeed.
Key Findings
- 144 total drugs in clinical pipeline across all phases, representing a significant expansion in Parkinson's therapeutic development
- 19 alpha-synuclein-targeting therapies in testing — attempting to prevent or clear the toxic protein clumps that define Parkinson's pathology
- 28 drugs have reached Phase III trials, the final stage before potential FDA approval
- Multiple GLP-1 receptor agonists are being tested for neuroprotection, repurposing diabetes drugs for potential disease modification
- Pipeline includes diverse mechanisms: gene therapies, immunotherapies, and small molecules targeting mitochondrial function and neuroinflammation
Read the Paper↗PMC11307066