South Korean hospitals begin testing diabetes drug sitagliptin to slow early Parkinson's

A fresh clinical trial from Yonsei University in South Korea is testing whether a common diabetes medication called sitagliptin can slow down Parkinson’s. The study, known as ARREST-PD, is looking closely at early stages of the condition to see if the pill protects brain cells over seventy-two weeks. Many people following medical news might wonder why researchers are trying another diabetes medicine after the disappointing news around exenatide. The large phase three trial for exenatide showed that it did not slow down movement changes in the way everyone had hoped. However, sitagliptin works through a completely different biological route. Exenatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which acts like a gut hormone. Sitagliptin belongs to a different family called DPP-4 inhibitors. Instead of mimicking a hormone directly, sitagliptin blocks an enzyme, which helps naturally protect several helpful proteins in the body from breaking down too quickly. Large health records from Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom found that people taking DPP-4 inhibitors had a thirty to forty per cent lower chance of developing Parkinson’s. This distinct biological behaviour is why scientists believe it still holds real promise. The ARREST-PD trial will test sitagliptin at a daily dose of one hundred milligrams against a dummy pill across several clinics. The trial involves people with early-stage Parkinson’s who are taking only levodopa. Doctors will examine participants when their morning medicine has worn off, checking specifically to see if sitagliptin can delay any noticeable increase in movement difficulties. By testing a completely different class of metabolic medicine, researchers hope to discover whether targeting enzyme pathways can finally deliver the protective shield the brain needs.