There was an article in Forbes on Friday 5-10-13 about a cancer drug (nilotinib) successfully degrading alpha-synuclein in transgenic mice. Usually I don’t circulate emails about results from animal research because translating results to the human world has proved challenging. But I am circulating this article because the Forbes author indicates that:
“Plans are currently underway for phase II clinical trials, for use in people with Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA).”
That list of diseases for phase II clinical trials is straight from the Georgetown University press release about the research.
That combination of disorders — LBD, PD, PSP, and MSA — is a little surprising. LBD, PD, and MSA are all alpha-synucleinopathies but PSP is a tauopathy. On the other hand, the Georgetown researcher is quoted as saying that the cancer drug:
“gets rid of alpha synuclein and tau in a number of movement disorders.” In another article, the researcher is quoted as saying “this is the first drug that we know reduces alpha-synuclein and [tau] at the same time.”
Below, I’ve copied the link to the Forbes article. I’ve also copied a link to a Fox News article plus a link to the Georgetown University press release.
In the Fox News article, the Georgetown researchers says that the team is most excited about the potential to use nilotinib to treat Lewy Body Dementia. He is quoted as saying: “The level of desperation among these patients is huge.”
The Fox News article says:
“Exploring this drug as a treatment for Lewy body dementia will be the researcher’s main priority going into clinical trials. However, they hope to expand to clinical trials on Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients as well.”
The research article published in “Human Molecular Genetics” is titled: “Nilotinib reverses loss of dopamine neurons and improves motor behavior via autophagic degradation of a-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease models.” So the published research is only about the drug getting rid of alpha-synuclein in the brains of transgenic mice with PD. For those capable of understanding the science (certainly not me!), the PubMed ID number is 23666528. (See pubmed.gov)
Robin
Link to Forbes article:
Forbes
PHARMA & HEALTHCARE
A Cancer Drug May Help Treat Alzheimer’s And Other Forms Of Dementia
by Alice G. Walton
5/10/2013
Link to Fox News article on this research:
www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/09/potential-treatment-for-parkinsons-alzheimers-dementia-discovered/
Link to Georgetown University press release on this research:
explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=70332&PageTemplateID=295