2 January 2024

Cure Parkinson’s Director of Clinical Development, Dr Richard Wyse, has been selected for His Majesty The King’s New Year’s Honours List, for services to medicine in Parkinson’s disease. Dr Wyse has built an innovative, game-changing programme of research for Parkinson’s; he has played a huge part in transforming the way neurological research is carried out; and he has positively impacted the lives of so many people living with the condition. 

Dr Wyse joined Cure Parkinson’s as the second employee in 2007, soon after the charity was formed. Having worked previously in the fields of cardiology and genetics, Dr Wyse was invited to chair the inaugural research conference for the then named Cure Parkinson’s Trust. The Parkinson’s research arena was bleak, and the word ‘cure’ was simply not spoken. Dr Wyse recognised there was an opportunity to create a vibrant and novel research programme for the Parkinson’s community, and has worked tirelessly since to bring that programme to fruition and to continue to drive it from strength to strength.

Since its launch, Cure Parkinson’s International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) programme has completed 20 clinical trials of new potentially disease modifying treatments for Parkinson’s, 21 more trials are ongoing with many more in the pipeline, and over 4,700 people with Parkinson’s have taken part in this research. The iLCT programme is a ground-breaking initiative where potentially disease modifying treatments, many of which are drugs already in use to treat other conditions, are evaluated and ranked by a committee of world-leading Parkinson’s specialists (convened by Dr Wyse), for clinical testing in Parkinson’s. The programme aims to accelerate the development of new treatments with the potential to slow, stop or reverse Parkinson’s.

This programme now runs in partnership with Van Andel Institute in the US. We have recently seen three iLCT clinical trials report positive findings: two for treatments currently in use to treat type 2 diabetes, and one for a drug used to treat liver disease, and we await more results in 2024. For more information on the iLCT programme, click the button below.

Find out more about iLCT

Dr Wyse has also been instrumental in inspiring the first multi-arm trial in Parkinson’s, which commenced in Australia in 2020. Furthermore, he is regularly sought out to advise research-based organisations dealing with other neurodegenerative conditions, including Huntingdon’s, MS, MND and Alzheimer’s, which he does voluntarily.

Helen Matthews, CEO of Cure Parkinson’s, said:

We are so delighted that Richard’s vision, hard-work, creative thinking, scientific skill and sheer determination to find a cure has been so deservedly recognised. His contribution to the field of Parkinson’s research is completely unique, and has inspired so many. Congratulations, Richard!”

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