Certain traditional treatments like the administration of levodopa target dopaminergic neurons involved in Parkinson’s, although proven to be fairly effective in treating the disease, the medication eventually wears off leading to the appearance of motor complications.
In order to circumvent such issues, the Swiss Biotech, Prexton Therapeutics has designed a drug named foliglurax, that activates mGluR4 receptors in the glutamatergic neuronal system, not affected by PD and can compensate for the loss of function of the dopaminergic system.
The investigational drug candidate which successfully completed Phase I of trials in September last year with results indicating that it was safe and well-tolerated with an excellent pharmacokinetic profile, is now lined up for Phase II, funded through Prexton’s €29M Series B this February.
The Phase II trial will enroll 165 patients across the UK, Germany, France, Austria, Spain and Italy to monitor its effects on motor complications of standard levodopa therapy and will compare the amount of time during the day when the medication wears off and symptoms get worse.
If successful, Prexton Therapeutics will have to compete in the Parkinson’s market with Newron, whose drug Xadago was approved earlier this year as the first drug for Parkinson’s in 11 years.
