Trying to LIMP-2 the lysosome
Lysosomes are small bags of enzymes that are used to break down material inside of cells – digesting newly absorbed food or recycling old/used proteins and rubbish. Recently researchers have been discovering increasing evidence that points towards dysfunction in lysosomes as a key influential player in neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson’s. There […]
The Road Ahead: 2021
At the start of each year, it is a useful practise to layout what is planned over the next 12 months. The events that are scheduled for the year to come, so that we can keep an eye out for them. Obviously, where 2021 will end actually is unpredictable, but an […]
TGF-beta: The Parkinson’s superfamily?
A lot of Parkinson’s research has focused on a neurotrophic factor called glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (or GDNF). But GDNF only represents a small fraction of a much larger class of neurotrophic factors, called the Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily. Recently, researchers have been investigating some of the other TGF-β family […]
The drug development pipeline for Parkinson’s
For a long time a regular request from SoPD readers has been to provide an overview of the clinical trial landscape for Parkinson’s, particularly in the area of drug development. Such projects are difficult, however, as the landscape is broad and dynamic – lots of different approaches being applied and new […]
Further support for GLP-1R agonists
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (or GLP-1R) agonists are a frontline treatment for diabetes – improving glycaemic control by reducing glucose concentrations in the blood. In 2008, multiple research groups reported that this class of drugs exhibited neuroprotective properties in models of Parkinson’s. Subsequent clinical trials have provided encouraging data supporting this […]