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Drug Insight New Drugs in Development For Parkinson's Disease
Drug Insight New Drugs in Development For Parkinson's Disease
www.nature.com/clinicalpractice/neuro
INTRODUCTION
S U M M A RY
For many years, levodopa has given most patients with Parkinsons
disease excellent symptomatic benefit. This agent does not slow down the
progression of the disease, however, and it can induce motor fluctuations
and dyskinesias in the long term. The other available antiparkinsonian
agents also have drawbacks, and as a consequence research into
antiparkinsonian drugs is expected to take new and different directions
in the coming years. The most promising approaches include the
development of neuroprotective drugs that are capable of blocking or at
least slowing down the degenerative process that is responsible for cellular
death; restorative strategies intended to restore normal brain function;
more-effective agents for replacing dopamine loss; and symptomatic and
antidyskinetic drugs that act on neurotransmitters other than dopamine
or target brain areas other than the striatum. In this Review, we discuss the
numerous drugs in development that target the primary motor disorder in
Parkinsons disease.
KEYWORDS dopamine, dyskinesias, levodopa, Parkinsons disease
REVIEW CRITERIA
PubMed was searched using Entrez for articles published up to 30 April 2006,
including electronic early release publications. Search terms included Parkinsons
disease and treatment, as well as drugs. The abstracts of retrieved citations
were reviewed and prioritized by relevant content. Full articles were obtained
and references were checked for additional material where appropriate. Abstracts
of the main International Congresses (Movement Disorder Society, American
Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, European Federation
of Neurological Societies, and European Neurological Society) were reviewed.
Data available in company websites, clinical trials databases, and the FDA and
European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) websites
were analyzed. The results of some trials conveyed to the authors by personal
communication were also included.