New non-dopaminergic pill slashes 'off' time for Parkinson's patients in trial

Cerevance's experimental drug solengepras, which targets the GPR6 receptor, was tested in a placebo-controlled trial involving 341 Parkinson's patients from the US, Europe, the UK and Australia. Participants took either 75 mg or 150 mg of the pill daily for 12 weeks while continuing their standard dopamine therapy. The higher dose group reported nearly 37 minutes less daily 'off' time and about an hour and a half reduction from their baseline, as well as roughly 36 additional minutes of dyskinesia-free 'on' time.

Researchers noted improvements in daily motor tasks, daytime alertness and overall quality of life, with no serious adverse events, only occasional headaches and urinary tract infections. Cerevance plans to discuss the data with the US FDA, aiming for possible prescription use within three years. The trial suggests a promising non-dopaminergic approach to managing motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease.