XPhyto Therapeutics has been developing a skin patch as a delivery system to treat Parkinson’s disease. They just released an update, stating that the “formula was locked,” and the process that will be used to manufacture the patch has been implemented.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is characterized by its effect on movement through five different stages. As the disease progresses, severity increases.
- Stage one is characterized by subtle tremors on one side of the body.
- In stage two symptoms are more noticeable, with tremors and rigidity on both sides of the body.
- Stage three brings loss of balance and slowed movement.
- Stage four makes it impossible for one to live independently.
- Stage five is the most severe, as patients cannot stand or walk. Hallucinations and delusions are common symptoms of this stage.
Parkinson’s disease occurs due to the death of motor neurons, some of which produce dopamine. Dopamine is important in the transmittance of messages to the muscles from the brain, so the loss of dopamine results in the loss of motor functions. Abnormal brain activity occurs when these neurons are lost. Doctors do not know why these motor neurons die, but they do suspect a few factors that play a role, such as genetics, environmental factors like toxins, and Lewy bodies.
About the Patch
This patch is a delivery system that will be used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Once a day, patients will put on the patch and receive a constant supply for the next 24 hours. The treatment itself, Rotigotine, has already been approved in the United States and Europe.
Because XPhyto has implemented the formula and manufacturing procedure, they will soon be able to begin clinical trials. In fact, human bioavailability studies are expected to start in Europe in the third quarter of this year. If all goes as expected, results will be ready by the final quarter.
Read more about the skin patch here.
