New drugs for Parkinson’s disease are increasing
Did you know that new drugs for Parkinson’s disease are being developed one after another?
Parkinson’s disease often develops around the age of 50 to 65, and the probability of developing it increases with age. As a symptom, it is a disease in which the body does not move as expected due to impaired motor function such as trembling of limbs and stiffness of muscles. If you leave it alone, you will not be able to walk and it will be difficult to swallow food, which will greatly reduce your healthy life expectancy.
In Japan, which is facing an aging society, demand for Parkinson’s disease treatment drugs is expected to increase more than ever. In the world of pharmaceuticals, research and development are progressing, and it is constantly evolving. The treatment for Parkinson’s disease is no exception, and various treatments have been launched in recent years.
For example, Harlopi Tape, launched on September 20, 2019, is a patch that can be used by patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease who have difficulty swallowing food. Since the only patch for Parkinson’s disease was New Propatch, the number of treatment options has increased.
About side effects that may appear with new drugs
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- sleepiness
- Lightheadedness
- Hallucinations
- Dopamine dysregulation syndrome
- Dyskinesia
Since Parkinson’s disease drugs act on the brain, many side effects related to the central nervous system such as drowsiness, lightheadedness, and hallucinations may occur. Gastrointestinal symptoms appear to have nothing to do with the brain, but they are side effects that occur because they also act on the parts that control appetite and the parts that move the intestines.
Dopamine dysregulation syndrome and dyskinesia are unfamiliar words, but they are characteristic side effects of Parkinson’s disease treatments.
Dyskinesia is a symptom of limbs moving against your will. Even if you have it, you may unknowingly throw it.
Dopamine dysregulation syndrome is a symptom that makes you dependent on gambling due to abnormal release of dopamine, abnormally increased libido, binge eating, buying, and so on.
There is a possibility of side effects if you are taking actions that look abnormal to those who do not know the circumstances.
An example of a clinical trial of a drug for treating Parkinson’s disease
Clinical trials are being conducted to develop therapeutic agents.
A clinical trial is a trial in which a candidate for a therapeutic drug is actually used in a healthy person or patient to confirm its efficacy and safety.
Azilect, a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, has been conducted in clinical trials in early and advanced Parkinson’s disease patients in Japan, and its efficacy and safety have been confirmed, and it is used in 50 countries around the world. It is characterized by a lower risk of neuropathy such as insomnia and heart damage compared to FP, which is an existing drug with the same mechanism.
Although nearly half of the side effects occurred in clinical trials in Japan, it was launched on June 11, 2018 because there were no major problems compared to existing Parkinson’s disease treatment drugs.
As side effects, the same side effects as conventional Parkinson’s disease treatments such as dyskinesia, nausea and headache, drowsiness, hallucinations, and dopamine dysregulation syndrome have been confirmed.
A therapeutic method other than a therapeutic drug is being sought, and in 2019, a clinical trial was conducted at Kyoto University in which nerve cells using iPS cells were transplanted into the brains of study participants. At present, there are no noticeable side effects, so the future progress is drawing attention.
About Parkinson’s new drug
Development of Parkinson’s disease treatments has continued day and night, and treatment options have increased.
It is difficult to discontinue the drug even if side effects occur because it is a disease in which the symptoms gradually progress even if the effect of the drug appears temporarily. Therefore, it is good for patients to have more treatment options.
In addition, although there was no radical treatment for Parkinson’s disease, development is progressing for treatment methods by transplanting iPS cells and gene therapy drugs called nucleic acid drugs.
Nucleic acid drugs have the effect of suppressing genes involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease, so they are expected to prevent Parkinson’s disease itself.
In the near future, the day may come when Parkinson’s disease will no longer be incurable.
References
Second Transdermal Dopamine Agonist Appears in Parkinson’s Disease-Nikkei Medical
MAO-B inhibitor that is not a stimulant raw material-Nikkei Medical
Behavioral Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease Patients-Jstage
Treatment of Parkinson’s disease-Japan Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd.
Azilect Tablets Pharmaceutical Interview Form
iPS clinical trial goes smoothly 3 cases of Parkinson’s disease conducted-Nikkei
