⚕️ New treatment for Parkinson's enters clinical trial

• Researchers have developed a cell therapy that can replace lost dopamine-producing neurons.
• The treatment has shown promising results in studies on primates.
• Clinical trials on humans have now begun.

Progress in cell therapies for Parkinson's disease

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new cell therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, reports SciTech Daily.

Parkinson's disease causes damage to the brain's dopamine-producing neurons, leading to difficulties in coordinating movements and symptoms such as stiffness, slowness, and tremors. Current treatments, such as the drug L-DOPA, have limitations and lose effectiveness over time. The new treatment aims to replace the dopamine-producing neurons that have been lost due to the disease.

Successful studies on primates

In a study conducted at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, researchers successfully transplanted dopaminergic neural progenitor cells into the brains of cynomolgus monkeys. The cells, provided by the company Aspen Neuroscience, were grown from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Dr. Edward Wirth III, Chief Medical Officer at Aspen Neuroscience, explains: “By the time of diagnosis, it is common for people with Parkinson’s to have lost the majority of dopaminergic neurons, leading to progressive loss of motor and neurological function.  To replace these lost cells, we must target a very specific area of the brain with a high degree of surgical precision."

Six monkeys received transplants of human neurons through two paths in each brain hemisphere, with more cells deposited on one side of the brain. A control group of three animals underwent the procedure without cell delivery. After 30 days, the cells remained in five out of six monkeys.

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