New Parkinson's Drug Packs a One-Two Punch, Dual Inhibitor Attacks Two Enzymes

Scientists may have found a new drug that could dually aid against the progression of Parkinson's Disease, according to scientists from the Florida campus of the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI.)

The study describes a "dual inhibitor" that compounds a single molecule that attacks a pair of proteins closely associated with the development of the disease.

 "In general, these two enzymes amplify the effect of each other," said team leader Phil LoGrasso, a TSRI professor who has been a pioneer in the development of JNK inhibitors for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, according to a press release. "What we were looking for is a high-affinity, high-selectivity treatment that is additive or synergistic in its effect-a one-two punch."

The Mayo Clinic shows that Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that harms the body's movement. It develops gradually over time, starting with tremors that are barely noticeable to well-known symptoms of the disease that progressively worsen to more substantial problems.

Although medications can greatly enhance a person's life who is suffering from the problem, as well as surgeries, in some cases, there is no cure at this time.

However, scientists are hopeful that this new medication could potentially be another treatment to aid in the long-term battle against the ailment.

They describe the new dual inhibitor and its attack against two enzymes commonly known to harm the body-the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and the c-jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK)-pronounced "junk."

" Genetic testing of several thousand Parkinson's patients has shown that mutations in the LRRK2 gene increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, while JNK has been shown to play an important role in neuron (nerve cell) survival in a range of neurodegenerative diseases," a press release notes. "As such, they have become highly viable targets for drugs to treat disorders such as Parkinson's disease."

The study authors note that they are hoping to optimize the potency of the drug with futher research and further findings, soon to be tested in animal models of Parkinson's disease. 

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant NS057153.