A team of scientists in Australia, led by those of Indian origin, has developed a new once-a-week injectable drug that could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson’s disease, potentially replacing the need for multiple daily tablets.
Frequent dosing is a burden, especially for elderly patients or those with swallowing difficulties, leading to inconsistent medication levels, more side effects, and reduced effectiveness.
To address this, the team from the University of South Australia (UniSA) developed a long-acting injectable formulation that delivers a steady dose of levodopa and carbidopa- two key medications for Parkinson’s over an entire week.
The biodegradable formulation is injected under the skin or into muscle tissue, where it gradually releases the medication over seven days, noted the researchers
The newly developed injectable could significantly improve treatment outcomes and patient adherence, said lead researcher Professor Sanjay Garg, from UniSA’s Center for Pharmaceutical Innovation.
“Our goal was to create a formulation that simplifies treatment, improves patient compliance, and maintains consistent therapeutic levels of medication. This weekly injection could be a game-changer for Parkinson’s care,” Garg said.
“Levodopa is the gold-standard therapy for Parkinson’s, but its short lifespan means it must be taken several times a day.” The team noted that the release of both levodopa and carbidopa steadily over a week could help maintain consistent plasma levels and reduce the risks associated with fluctuating drug concentrations. (IANS)
