Good News for Sufferers of Parkinson's Disease
Gene Therapy Reverses Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease ScienceDaily (Mar. 17, 2011) — A gene therapy called NLX-P101 dramatically reduces movement impairment in Parkinson's patients, according to results of a Phase 2 study published today in the journal Lancet Neurology . The approach introduces a gene into the brain to normalize chemical signaling. A new study brings hope for Parkinson sufferers. The study is the first successful randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a gene therapy for Parkinson's or any neurologic disorder, and it represents the culmination of 20 years of research by study co-authors Dr. Michael Kaplitt, vice chairman for research in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and a neurosurgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Dr. Matthew During, originally at Yale University and now professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics, neuroscience and neurological surgery