New drug candidate SB0110 from Sinopia Biosciences in San Diego, California boosts levodopa benefits and reduces involuntary movements

A research team at Sinopia Biosciences has published promising results showing that a new drug candidate could solve one of the most difficult treatment challenges in Parkinson's. Based at JLABS in San Diego, California, the biotechnology company was founded in 2014 as a spin out from the University of California San Diego. Their latest discovery, a compound named SB0110, successfully targets the side effects of levodopa while actually making the treatment work better. Levodopa is highly effective at restoring movement and easing stiffness. However, long term use often leads to a frustrating combination of complications. The medication can become less reliable between doses, and it frequently causes erratic, involuntary movements known as dyskinesia. Until now, doctors have lacked a single, reliable treatment that can be added to levodopa to both boost its effectiveness and quieten these troublesome side effects. In recent laboratory tests involving animal models, SB0110 achieved both goals at the same time. To find this compound, the scientists used advanced computational biology. They analysed massive datasets of gene activity in the brain to map out which genetic patterns are linked to the benefits of levodopa and which ones are tied to dyskinesia. By comparing these patterns with a vast library of drug profiles, they identified a promising starting point which led to the design of SB0110. The compound works by targeting a specific brain signalling system called protein kinase A type II. This system is closely linked to how the brain processes dopamine and controls movement. Because the drug is derived from an older heart medication that already has a well known safety record, the research team is highly optimistic about its safety profile. The San Diego team is currently completing the final safety studies required before testing the compound in humans. They hope to begin the first clinical trials in humans next year. If those trials are successful, this new treatment could become widely available to people with Parkinson's in six to seven years.