DAPA-PD is a phase 2 clinical trial of dapansutrile – a novel anti-inflammatory drug – to determine whether it may be able to slow Parkinson’s progression.
About the study
Led by Dr Caroline Williams-Gray at Cambridge University, DAPA-PD will recruit 36 people with Parkinson’s. The primary objective of this trial is to determine whether dapansutrile is safe and tolerable when taken by people with Parkinson’s, and to evaluate if it reduces inflammation in the brain. There is growing evidence to suggest that prolonged neuroinflammation, is common in people with Parkinson’s and may contribute to nerve cell (neuron) loss. Therefore, if dapansutrile can lower inflammation, it may be able to slow progression.
The trial will occur in two phases, the first 6 months being a randomised, double-blind period where participants receive either dapansutrile or a placebo (dummy drug). The next 6 months (the second phase) will be an open-label extension, meaning all participants have the opportunity to take dapansutrile. Participants will also be given the option of undergoing a lumbar puncture – a procedure used to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and is often a more accurate representation of conditions within the brain.
Trial overview
- Researcher: Dr Caroline Williams-Gray
- Institution: Cambridge University
- Project Type: Clinical Trial, Phase 2
- Status: Active
- Start Date: April 2024
- iLCT-evaluated (2022)
- Therapy Target: Neuroinflammation
More about the study
What is dapansutrile?
Dapansutrile is a novel compound being developed by Olatec Therapeutics which acts as an NLRP3 inhibitor. Nucleotide-binding domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) is an inflammasome – a type of protein that triggers inflammation and initiates an immune response. Evidence suggests NLRP3 plays a role in activating specialised immune cells in the brain, leading to neuroinflammation.
Video presentations
Dr Bina Patel, Cambridge University – DAPA-PD: background and set-up of the trial (with Q&A session)
Dr Caroline Williams-Gray, Cambridge University – Dapansutrile: A new hope for Parkinson’s
Phase 2 clinical trial of dapansutrile for Parkinson’s confirmed
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