He said that the “drug in the pipeline” has completed its human clinical trial phase and the second phase will be undertaken soon.
Clinical trials on animals showed positive and promising results, Professor Rawat told IANS.
Parkinson's disease is a nervous disorder that seriously harms the patient and disables them for a period of time.
According to renowned chemist and vice-chancellor of Nainital's Kumaun University, Professor Diwan Singh Rawat, human trials have shown promising results. The drug is expected to enter its final phase of clinical trials next year and will be available on the market shortly thereafter.
Parkinson's disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide. Symptoms include tremors, slow movements, and difficulty walking, and some patients even experience severe depression. The disease is mainly caused by the death of neurons in the midbrain, which leads to a significant reduction in levels of dopamine, a chemical crucial for coordinating movement. Current treatments only control symptoms to a certain extent, but fail to stop the progression of the disease, leaving patients suffering for life.
Professor Rawat explained that certain proteins play a key role in the survival of dopaminergic neurons. The new compound developed through his research activates an important neuroenzyme that prevents the death of these dopamine-producing neurons. Tests on animals revealed that the compound has no major side effects and can stop the death of neurons.
"We started this research in 2012, in collaboration with an American professor," said Professor Rawat. "As chemists, we design molecules, but developing a drug is a challenging task that can take 16 to 18 years."
His research was carried out in collaboration with a Houston hospital, where the compound was shown to have a healing effect on animals without causing side effects. In 2021 they successfully transferred the technology to further develop it.
“Last year, three American pharmaceutical companies joined the project to turn this molecule into a marketable drug. As drug development is an expensive process, the Michael J. Fox Foundation funded the trials,” Rawat added.
Human clinical trials began in October last year after receiving regulatory approvals. Bloomberg also reported on the initial findings, which confirmed that the drug's toxicity is within acceptable limits. Starting next year, the treatment will be given to Parkinson's patients who have volunteered for the study, and the drug's effectiveness in improving their condition will be closely monitored.
“Based on the data and mechanism of action, we are hopeful that this molecule will soon become a marketable drug. This could be one of the most important advances in the treatment of Parkinson's, since there is no cure for this disease. “We have passed the critical phases and there will be no competition in the market.”
Discussing the challenges faced during the patent and technology transfer process before 2020, Professor Rawat noted that while the road was difficult, his team is now well prepared to bring the drug to the market.
Regarding the cost of the drug, he mentioned that developing an average drug costs around $450 million, but efforts are being made to keep the treatment affordable.
Clinical trials on animals showed positive and promising results, Professor Rawat told IANS.
Parkinson's disease is a nervous disorder that seriously harms the patient and disables them for a period of time.
According to renowned chemist and vice-chancellor of Nainital's Kumaun University, Professor Diwan Singh Rawat, human trials have shown promising results. The drug is expected to enter its final phase of clinical trials next year and will be available on the market shortly thereafter.
Parkinson's disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide. Symptoms include tremors, slow movements, and difficulty walking, and some patients even experience severe depression. The disease is mainly caused by the death of neurons in the midbrain, which leads to a significant reduction in levels of dopamine, a chemical crucial for coordinating movement. Current treatments only control symptoms to a certain extent, but fail to stop the progression of the disease, leaving patients suffering for life.
Professor Rawat explained that certain proteins play a key role in the survival of dopaminergic neurons. The new compound developed through his research activates an important neuroenzyme that prevents the death of these dopamine-producing neurons. Tests on animals revealed that the compound has no major side effects and can stop the death of neurons.
"We started this research in 2012, in collaboration with an American professor," said Professor Rawat. "As chemists, we design molecules, but developing a drug is a challenging task that can take 16 to 18 years."
His research was carried out in collaboration with a Houston hospital, where the compound was shown to have a healing effect on animals without causing side effects. In 2021 they successfully transferred the technology to further develop it.
“Last year, three American pharmaceutical companies joined the project to turn this molecule into a marketable drug. As drug development is an expensive process, the Michael J. Fox Foundation funded the trials,” Rawat added.
Human clinical trials began in October last year after receiving regulatory approvals. Bloomberg also reported on the initial findings, which confirmed that the drug's toxicity is within acceptable limits. Starting next year, the treatment will be given to Parkinson's patients who have volunteered for the study, and the drug's effectiveness in improving their condition will be closely monitored.
“Based on the data and mechanism of action, we are hopeful that this molecule will soon become a marketable drug. This could be one of the most important advances in the treatment of Parkinson's, since there is no cure for this disease. “We have passed the critical phases and there will be no competition in the market.”
Discussing the challenges faced during the patent and technology transfer process before 2020, Professor Rawat noted that while the road was difficult, his team is now well prepared to bring the drug to the market.
Regarding the cost of the drug, he mentioned that developing an average drug costs around $450 million, but efforts are being made to keep the treatment affordable.
