A study has just been published on Nejm according to which “an ‘anti-diabetes’ drug from the semaglutide family (the ‘weight loss’ drug, Ozempic) appears to be useful in Parkinson’s disease, when we do not have effective drugs in slowing down progression”. This is “preliminary data”, on “few patients” and “phase 2″, but very encouraging. To make the importance clear, at the moment we essentially have no drugs capable of interrupting the progression of the disease. This would be – if the data were confirmed – the first”. He highlights it on social media Roberto Burioni, professor of microbiology and virology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milanposting the work published in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’.
In the trial, coordinated by Mathieu Anheim of the University Hospital of Strasbourg in France, the effect of lixisenatide – an active ingredient belonging to the class of analogues of the Glp-1 hormone, antidiabetics with a slimming effect – on the progression of disability was evaluated motor in patients with Parkinson’s diagnosed less than 3 years previously, who were taking therapies to control the symptoms of the disease and did not yet have motor complications. 156 participants were enrolled, randomly assigned to treatment with lixisenatide (78 patients) or placebo (78). Neither the authors nor the patients knew who had been assigned to one or the other group.
“In participants with early-stage Parkinson’s disease – we read in the conclusions of the study – therapy with lixisenatide, compared to placebo, resulted in less progression of motor disability compared to placebo, but was associated with gastrointestinal side effects. They are necessary longer and broader studies – the scientists specify – to determine the effects and safety of lixisenatide in people with Parkinson’s”.
