The coronal view of a human brain of a patient affected by Parkinson’s disease
Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab | Getty Images
A highly popular class of medicine for diabetes and obesity is showing early potential to help patients with Parkinson’s disease, too.
An older diabetes treatment called lixisenatide helped slow the progression of motor disability after 12 months in patients at an early stage of the condition, according to results from a small mid-stage trial published Wednesday. The drug, made by Sanofi, is a GLP-1 like Novo Nordisk‘s blockbuster diabetes injection Ozempic and weight reduction counterpart Wegovy.
Motor disability refers to symptoms similar to tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement, which might make it difficult for patients to walk, talk and swallow. Researchers from France said larger and longer studies are needed to fully determine the efficacy and safety of Sanofi’s treatment in patients with the degenerative brain illness, including how long the advantages may last.
Still, the outcomes, published late Wednesday in The Latest England Journal of Medicine mark an encouraging step forward in the decades-long effort to tackle Parkinson’s disease. As many as half one million Americans have been diagnosed with the condition, which is characterised by nerve cell damage in the brain.
The outcomes also add to the long list of potential health advantages of GLP-1s, which have skyrocketed in demand during the last 12 months for helping patients shed kilos and regulate their blood sugar. But more research is required to determine whether newer iterations of GLP-1s from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly may additionally help Parkinson’s patients.
Each drugmakers are studying their respective weight reduction and diabetes treatments in patients with conditions similar to sleep apnea and fatty liver disease, but neither are examining their drugs in managing Parkinson’s disease.
Sanofi pulled lixisenatide from the market initially of 2023. The French drugmaker has said the discontinuation of the treatment was a business decision that was unrelated to its safety and efficacy.
Sanofi provided the drug to the researchers and advised them on the characteristics of the medication, but otherwise was not involved in the brand new phase two trial. It was funded by the French Ministry for Health and Prevention, a U.K. charity called Cure Parkinson’s and an independent biomedical research organization called Van Andel Institute
In a press release to CNBC, Sanofi said it was “pleased to see the positive outcomes of this study.” The corporate added that it’s open to “a discussion with the investigators of the study on providing support for his or her next phase of research.”
The trial followed 156 individuals with early Parkinson’s disease for a 12 months. All participants took their usual Parkinson’s medication in the study. But one group was given a further day by day injection of Sanofi’s drug, while the opposite was given a placebo.
Patients who received lixisenatide showed essentially no progression of motor symptoms, while those given the placebo showed worsening motor problems. The difference between the 2 groups was modest but remained two months after the trial stopped and patients went completely off therapy.
But use of Sanofi’s drug was related to an increased risk of gastrointestinal negative effects, that are common across all GLP-1s. Nearly half of patients who took the drug in the trial experienced nausea, while 13% reported vomiting.