New drug may slow progression of Parkinson’s disease

A preclinical model of Parkinson’s disease was employed to compare the effects of the dopamine agonist ropinirole to a new drug, known as D-512, results demonstrated that D-512 was more efficacious than ropinirole in treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease while also prolonging the time window in which the animals showed benefits.

D-512 may also protect again the progression of Parkinson’s disease. The researchers noted that D-512 may have fewer side effects than current medications. When patients take anti-parkinsonian drugs, over time they develop hyperkinetic movements that are hard to control, called dyskinesia. Coupled with D-512’s beneficial effects on motor symptoms, the researchers argue that it therapeutic features are highly desirable.

"A major issue for Parkinson’s disease patients is the need to take multiple medications, multiple times per day. So we were quite astounded to discover that our new compound, D-512, was superior to the widely-used drug, ropinirole, in terms of maximal symptom relief and duration of action," said Binghamton University Psychology Professor Chris Bishop.

"D-512 is unique because it not only treats the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but the molecule itself is an antioxidant," said former graduate student David Lindenbach. "This antioxidant property is important because a major cause of Parkinson’s disease appears to be excessive oxidative stress is a small group of movement-facilitating brain cells."

The paper, "D-512, a novel dopamine D2 / D3 receptor agonist, demonstrates superior anti-parkinsonian efficacy over ropinirole in parkinsonian rats,