In an exploratory analysis of large-scale phase II clinical trial data published in Nature Medicine on April 16th, the monoclonal antibody prasinezumab was shown to reduce signs of motor decline in patients with rapidly progressing Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease currently lacks disease-modifying therapies, with both motor and non-motor symptoms deteriorating over time in this neurodegenerative disorder. Aggregation of α-synuclein protein in the brain is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, with several preclinical studies suggesting it as a key driver of disease progression.
Prasinezumab is the first experimental therapeutic monoclonal antibody designed to bind to and promote degradation of aggregated α-synuclein. Tested in 316 early-stage Parkinson's patients in the PASADENA phase II clinical trial, the antibody did not show a substantial impact on disease progression overall. However, progression among trial participants exhibited high variability.
A team from Roche's research center in Basel, Switzerland, analyzed the potential effects on motor symptom progression in four pre-specified subgroups with faster progression in this phase II trial. They found that compared to placebo, prasinezumab mitigated the deterioration of motor symptoms in all faster-progressing subgroups after 52 weeks of treatment. This effect was not observed in subgroups with slower progression receiving treatment.
Researchers suggest that further studies are needed to determine whether longer treatment courses are effective in patients with slower disease progression in later stages.
