US Neurologists express enthusiasm for new ways to administer current treatments and future disease modifying therapies, according to Spherix Global Insights.
EXTON, PA., May 9, 2024 – Even as the incidence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) continues to increase with 90,000 new diagnoses each year1 in the US, the treatment landscape has remained relatively stagnant. Yet, neurologists are hopeful about new ways to deliver levodopa/carbidopa (the current standard of care), new symptomatic treatments, and potential pathways for future disease modifying treatments (DMTs).
In the newly published Special Topix™: Novel Treatments in Parkinson’s Disease: What’s Next in PD After Carbidopa/Levodopa?, Spherix sought to uncover clinical trial endpoints and product profiles that most resonate with treating neurologists.
In the near future, neurologists are interested in novel delivery mechanisms such as AbbVie’s Produodopa (a subcutaneous levodopa/carbidopa pump) and symptomatic treatments such as Cerevel Therapeutics’ tavapadon, meant to reduce the amount of “side-effect” time PD patients experience with levodopa/carbidopa. Beyond these two anticipated products, one-half of neurologists believe in the possibility of an effective DMT within the next five years. Among those who are more optimistic, one neurologist stated:
“As a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of PD progresses, I am hopeful that an effective disease modifying therapy will become available for PD.”
Neurologists are most hopeful for gene and stem cell therapies to be truly disease modifying, with nearly 40% of respondents believing that these modalities hold the greatest promise to finally change the disease course and lives of PD patients. Such developmental targets are in the early stages of clinical research by industry leaders such as Eli Lilly (GBA1 gene therapy), Denali Therapeutics (AAV vector program), Novo Nordisk (stem cells), and Roche (biologic prasinezumab).
To understand how neurologists would evaluate potential future treatments, Spherix conducted an advanced analysis considering neurologists’ preferences for different modalities, efficacy levels, routes of administration (such as IV infusion, oral, etc.), disease phases, and risk levels of adverse events.
Surprisingly, the results show that the route of administration carries nearly as much weight as efficacy when neurologists evaluate likely utility of future therapies. Having this knowledge will be critical to pharmaceutical companies as they think about how to increase neurologist comfort with the developmental PD therapies. Hypothetical ideal treatment combinations and worst-case scenario analysis are also presented in the report.
Neurologist’s interest in pipeline assets that are closer to approval is also covered. These assets include Annovis Bio’s buntanetap, Biogen/Denali’s BIIB122/DNL151, NeuroDerm’s ND0612, Sun Pharma Advance’s vodobatinib, and UCB Pharma/Novartis minzasolmin.
Special Topix™ is an independent service that includes access to a report or series of reports based on current events or topics of interest in specialty markets covered by Spherix.
Spherix Global Insights
Spherix is a leading independent market intelligence and advisory firm that delivers commercial value to the global life sciences industry, across the brand lifecycle.
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