Iron builds up in our brains as we age and in Parkinson’s there appears to be a significant accumulation of iron in regions that are more severely affected by the condition. It is believed that these high levels of iron cause ‘oxidative stress’ in neurons resulting in their demise.
In models of Parkinson’s, iron chelators have demonstrated the ability to perform as multi-functional drugs, acting on a number of issues including oxidative stress and inflammation.
Cure Parkinson’s continues to champion iron chelation for Parkinson’s and trustees have awarded a grant to Professor David Devos, University of Lille, working with AbFero Pharmaceuticals to investigate a novel iron chelator – called SP-420 – in models of Parkinson’s.
