World-first clinical trial hopes to stop Parkinson's in its tracks

Macquarie University, in collaboration with Oxford University and supported by Parkinson’s UK, is conducting a groundbreaking clinical trial to test a new drug designed to target brain inflammation during the prodromal phase of Parkinson’s disease—a stage where early warning signs, such as REM sleep behavior disorder, appear before severe motor symptoms develop. This world-first trial involves a drug developed by the biotech company Syntara, originally created to treat fatty liver and eye disease but later found effective in reducing brain inflammation in preclinical studies. The trial is a six-month randomized controlled study where 75% of participants receive the active drug, and 25% are given a placebo. Parkinson’s disease, which affects over 10 million people worldwide, leads to progressive loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, causing tremors, slowed movement, and balance issues. By the time motor symptoms appear, over 50% of these cells are already lost, making early intervention crucial. Researchers hope this drug can halt or even reverse the disease by addressing inflammation, a key driver during the prodromal stage. Participants like John Clowes, a 73-year-old with a family history of Parkinson’s, joined the trial after experiencing violent dreams, a hallmark of REM sleep behavior disorder and a predictor of future Parkinson’s or related conditions like dementia with Lewy bodies. Clowes, who began experiencing combative and vivid dreams that disrupted his sleep, saw the trial as an opportunity to contribute to a potential breakthrough. If successful, the trial could redefine Parkinson’s treatment by targeting the disease in its earliest stages, before irreversible damage occurs.