iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — It’s only the first phase of a clinical trial, but a new drug may help patients with Parkinson’s disease.
In an initial phase 1 clinical trial, a trial just for safety not effectiveness, a Federal Drug Administration-approved drug for leukemia called nilotinib seemed to improve cognition, motor skills, and non-motor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
The study, coming out of Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) in Washington, enrolled 12 patients and followed them for a period of 6 months, revealing information in pre and post-treatment videos released by the researchers.
Two of the many videos show Parkinson’s disease patients after treatment.
An elderly woman who looks very withdrawn while being helped onto her wheelchair before the trial seems, months later, much more engaged and able to feed herself.
In another video, 8 weeks after starting treatment, a man is able to walk quicker, and more easily.
The research was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, in Chicago. The researchers were also quick to point out that although this drug and the videos seem promising, the drug must first undergo much more rigorous testing.
Researchers reported that the drug did not have serious side effects during the study.
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