Study: Virus injected into brain eases Parkinson’s

[ruggerson]

Source: Boston Herald

TOKYO - Jichi Medical University has succeeded in restoring the motor function of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease by injecting their brains with a virus with a built-in gene that has an enzyme to produce dopamine.

Five out of six patients undergoing the first gene therapy in Japan have shown some recovery in their motor functions, the Shimotsuke, Japan-based university said.

One patient who had been unable to move showed remarkable signs of recovery, becoming able to perform normal daily activities, the hospital said.

The university said it had confirmed the safety of the virus. Although the treatment is not ready to be used as a general therapy due to the few cases to date, the outcome has the potential to dramatically change the lives of Parkinson’s disease patients.


Read more: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/international/general/view/20090814study_virus_injected_into_brain_eases_parkinsons/srvc=home&position=recent

[Robb]

1. I saw this movie

...In all seriousness, this sounds amazing. :thumbsup:

[Extend a Hand]

2. great news!

My Mom has Parkinson's I so hope she'll be able to get some relief.

[napoleon_in_rags]

3. The birth of nano-medicine. Somehow I'm not surprised its Japan. nt

[ruggerson]

4. I'm not surprised either

Gene therapy is a very intriguing concept, and I imagine it will be a combo of this and some kind of pluripotent stem cell therapy that will be the magic bullet for many neurodegenerative diseases.

[dropkickpa]

5. Phase 1

Sounds like this was a phase 1 clinical trial to test the safety of the therapy itself. The goal of phase 1 trials is to test safety, not necessarily efficacy. There are many gene therapies being worked on here in the US now, most still in phase 1. When efficacy is demonstrated in phase 1's, it's a really nice bonus, though. There's a phase 1 trial for cancer gene therapy being done at my work right now that is showing efficacy, which it really cool. I've been involved in one way or another in a tertiary capacity in the research for this particular researcher for 6 years now.

Gene therapy is some really cool shit, the big hurdle is proving safety of the delivery system (the viruses).

[napoleon_in_rags]

14. +1 informative.

thanks for that.

[dropkickpa]

16. No problem!

Once safety has been established, which takes a long time in many cases due to the slow going in getting a decent-sized (usually only 25-30 people) trial group in these gene therapy studies (in my, albeit limited, experience), they can hopefully move on to phase 2. The participants are usually pretty damn advanced cases (of whatever disease they're trying to treat), and getting suitable and willing candidates is hard on top of that.

Wikipedia actually gives a good description of the basic structure of clinical trials. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trial

[mitchtv]

6. Thanks, I might be needing it

as I have recently been diagnosed' It is very early with me, I am hopeful

[UpInArms]

9. ...

:hug:

[Starry Messenger]

11. ...

:hug: +1

[goclark]

12. + 2

:hug:

[ruggerson]

13. +3

:hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. I'm hopeful for you...

:hug:

[mzmolly]

7. Wow, that's a fabulous development.

Hopefully, it will lead to a breakthrough in treatment for Parkinson's and other neurological disorders.

[truthisfreedom]

8. Strange.

Weird.

[valerief]

10. Sounds wonderful. nt

[windoe]

15. Too bad it doesn't cure teabaggery

[ChairmanAgnostic]

21. teabuggers are incurable, until there is a stem cell treatment for stupidity

[Vidar]

17. I hope it works out.

[aquart]

18. Holy shit. Something else we don't hold the patents for.

[_dynamicdems]

20. This is incredible.

My brother has Parkinsons. Can't wait to send him the link.

Thanks for posting!