Individuals with Parkinson ’s disease may be eligible to participate in a local trial of a new therapy.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is beginning a clinical trial of gene therapy treatment to increase the length of time that the medication levo-dopa is effective. Levo-dopa has been proven effective in controlling the tremor and mobility impairments of Parkinson’s but the drug loses effectiveness over time.
Up to 20 participants with Parkinson’s between the ages of 40 and 70 will be selected for the trial which involves a surgical procedure in order to administer the gene therapy.
Seven to ten million people worldwide have Parkinson’s which is caused when neurons in the brain degenerate.
Written by Ryan Saeler
Photo by daveynin