Australian trial offers hope in preventing Parkinson’s disease

A world-first clinical trial by Australian researchers has shown that an experimental drug can significantly reduce brain inflammation in people at high risk of Parkinson’s disease.

While researchers at Macquarie University’s Brain Institute and Clinic caution that longer-term studies are required to track lasting impacts, the early findings offer promising hope for preventing the neurological condition.

Lead researcher Professor Simon Lewis, who led the 12-week trial, said sustaining the effects long-term could deliver life-changing outcomes.

“We might have what I regard as a cure,” he said.

The study involved 41 people diagnosed with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD), a precursor condition to Parkinson’s that causes patients to physically act out dreams and thrash around in their sleep.

About 70 per cent of people with iRBD go on to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s within 15 years.

Eleven patients received a placebo, while 30 were administered the Australian developed drug SNT-4728.

“Those patients actually have inflammation in their brain, and that inflammation predicts the loss of critical dopamine-producing cells key to Parkinson’s,” Lewis said.

“What the study showed was a significant reduction of inflammation in a critical area of the brain involved in movement.”

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“If we can save those cells, people may never develop a disease like Parkinson’s because you are actively slowing down that cell death,” he added.

Researchers are now seeking additional funding to expand the trial to more patients across multiple locations, with hopes to ramp up to phase three early next year.

Please note the information in this story is general in nature. Please always consult your GP or health professional for advice that is tailored to your specific health concerns.