Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Parkinson’s disease impairs motor control due to loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The standard treatment, levodopa, increases dopamine but often causes dyskinesia—rapid, involuntary movements—and loses effectiveness over time.
An NIH-funded team led by Dr. Aarash Bordbar at Sinopia Biosciences studied how levodopa impacts gene activity in dopamine-responsive brain cells. Their goal was to find a drug candidate to enhance levodopa’s benefits and reduce side effects by selectively modulating gene activity.
Through a database search, researchers identified a compound called SB-0107. In rodent models of Parkinson’s, combining SB-0107 with levodopa improved movement and reversed gene changes linked to dyskinesia, without causing or worsening that side effect.
Testing in nonhuman primate models showed similar results: SB-0107 enhanced levodopa’s benefits and decreased dyskinesia. The compound was also modified to last longer in the body, supporting its potential as a treatment adjunct.
The study results, published in Science Translational Medicine, highlight a possible pathway to improve Parkinson’s disease therapies if SB-0107 proves safe and effective in humans.