Professor D. James Surmeier's exciting work investigating the relationship between calcium and sodium channel modulation and Parkinson's disease has been widely known in the Parkinson's community since his June 2007 article in Nature. The article described how isradipine restores older dopamine neurons to their youthful condition. In it Dr Surmeier describes how he feels that people may be able to take isradapine to protect brain cells from Parkinson's like they now take baby aspirin for their hearts. He also hopes that Isradipine can extend by two to three times the therapeutic window that patients have to continue taking L-DOPA before it loses its effectiveness or starts to have serious side effects.
A small clinical trial has been completed at Northwestern University proving the safely and tolerance of Isradipine in PD patients. The phase II trial, Safety and Tolerability of Isradipine (a potential neuroprotective agent) in Patients with Parkinson's Disease - Stage II is still in recruitment. (see: below)
With funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation Dr Surmeier is now working with fellow Northwestern chemistry professor Dr Richard Silverman to develop a new drug (calcium channel blocker) that will just target one of the two calcium ion channels, Cav1.3 L-type calcium channel antagonist to slow or stop progression of the disease. Success could bring a patent and marketing by a major drug company.
Source: http://www.michaeljfox.org/research_MJFFfundingPortfolio_searchableAwardedGrants_3.cfm?ID=492
Full text of clinical trial: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00753636
Showing posts with label Dr Richard B Silverman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr Richard B Silverman. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2009
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