 |
Please Note: The technology listed below is not available to the public at this time. This technology is in the early stage of research and requires further development before it is ready for the marketplace. The VA is currently in the process of identifying potential companies who may be interested in licensing and/or further developing the technology through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA). Through cooperative research initiatives such as these, it is our hope and goal that commercial products will be fully developed and made available to benefit veterans and others.
VA TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITY BRIEF
A Novel Pharmacological Treatment for Parkinson's Disease with Improved Anti-Parkinsonian Efficacy
(VA 04-129)
OPPORTUNITY
The VA is seeking CRADA and/or licensing partners to commercialize this technology.
TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION
The pharmacological strategy included in the invention is a combination therapy that achieves anti-parkinsonian action with a lower incidence of side effects, such as motor dyskinesias, as compared to treatment with DA agonist alone. An equally important advantage is that this novel treatment will elicit a clinical response that is stable for a more prolonged period of time during the course of treatment than currently achievable with available medications.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder that results from the degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement. This degeneration creates a shortage of an important brain signaling chemical, or neurotransmitter, known as dopamine, rendering patients unable to initiate their movements in a normal manner. Parkinson's disease is characterized by a number of symptoms including tremors, limb stiffness, slowness of movements, and difficulties with posture and balance. The severity of Parkinson's disease symptoms tends to worsen over time. According to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, over 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from this disease. Parkinson's disease is more prevalent in people over 60 years of age, and the incidence and prevalence of this disease is expected to increase as the average age of the population increases. In 2004, approximately $2.5 billion was spent on drug therapy worldwide to treat Parkinson's disease. Currently, there is a large unmet medical need for new therapies that will effectively control or eliminate the dose-limiting side effects that result from the use of dopamine replacement therapies in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The FDA has not approved any therapy for treatment-induced psychotic disorders in patients with Parkinson's.
BENEFITS
- Identification of a treatment regimen with improved efficacy
- Shown to improve Parkinson's-like disease symptoms in animal models
- Lower incidence of side effects compared to current treatments
- Prolonged clinical response compared to current treatments
IP STATUS:
US provisional patent application filed on Feb. 28, 2006 (60/777,939).
US non-provisional patent application filed on Feb. 28, 2007 (11/713,156).
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Saleem Sheredos
Program Manager
Technology Transfer Program
Veterans Affairs
Office of Research & Development (12TT)
5th Floor
103 South Gay Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
202-380-5080
Fax 410.962.2141
e-mail: saleem.sheredos@va.gov