A drug called Anavex 2-73 being developed to treat Parkinson’s disease dementia is planned to undergo testing in a Phase 2 clinical trial, reports Globe Newswire.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is thought to affect approximately 2% of people over 65, and 1 million people in the US. Parkinson’s disease is caused by damage to nerve cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which results in a decreased level of the chemical dopamine. This process is behind the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including tremors, slow movement, and stiff muscles. It is estimated that around 50 to 80% of people with Parkinson’s disease also experience the associated condition Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). The effects of PDD include impaired concentration, memory, and judgement, delusions, hallucinations, disturbed sleep, anxiety, and depression. Despite the prevalence of this disease, there are few effective treatment options for patients.
Due to the need for more treatment options, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research funded some of the early studies into Anavex 2-73, the possible treatment for PDD. The drug works by activating the sigma-1 receptor, which then puts several processes into motion to promote cell survival. Similar treatments involving the sigma-1 receptor have been shown to improve a range of neurological diseases in animals, including Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and stroke. A paper discussing this can be found here.
This newly developed mechanism for slowing the progress of the conditions is believed to be a promising area for future research that may have the potential to improve treatment options for several different diseases. The pharmaceutical company that is developing the drug for PDD, Anavex Life Sciences, specialises in neurodegenerative and developmental diseases and has applied to the FDA for permission to trial the same drug as a treatment for Rett syndrome.
