Long-Acting Levodopa Gel for Parkinson’s Tremors
Breakthrough Weekly Injection Poised to Revolutionize Parkinson’s Treatment
A groundbreaking weekly injectable drug developed by scientists at the University of South Australia (UniSA) offers a transformative solution for over eight million individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, possibly eliminating the need for multiple daily oral medications. This innovative formulation promises to simplify treatment, enhance patient adherence, and improve overall quality of life for those affected by this debilitating neurological disorder.Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurological disorder globally, affects more than 8.5 million people worldwide. Currently, there is no cure, and its symptoms, including tremors, rigidity, and slow movement, are managed through oral medications that require frequent, often multiple daily, doses.This demanding dosing schedule can be a significant burden, particularly for elderly patients or those experiencing swallowing difficulties, leading to inconsistent medication levels, increased side effects, and diminished treatment effectiveness.
The UniSA team, led by Professor Sanjay Garg from the Center for Pharmaceutical Innovation, has engineered a long-acting injectable formulation that delivers a steady dose of levodopa and carbidopa – the cornerstone medications for Parkinson’s – over an entire week.This biodegradable formulation is administered via injection under the skin or into muscle tissue, where it gradually releases the vital medications over a seven-day period.”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,” stated Professor Garg. “Levodopa is the gold-standard therapy for Parkinson’s, but its short lifespan means it must be taken several times a day.”
UniSA PhD student Deepa Nakmode elaborated on the innovation, explaining that the ”in-situ implant is designed to release both levodopa and carbidopa steadily over one week, maintaining consistent plasma levels and reducing the risks associated with fluctuating drug concentrations.” The research, detailed in the journal Drug Delivery and Translational Research, has resulted in an Australian patent filing for this novel invention.
The injectable gel ingeniously combines PLGA, an FDA-approved biodegradable polymer, with Eudragit L-100, a pH-sensitive polymer.This synergistic combination ensures a controlled and sustained release of the medication. Extensive laboratory tests have validated the system’s efficacy and safety:
over 90% of the levodopa dose and more than 81% of the carbidopa dose were successfully released over the seven-day period. The implant demonstrated significant degradation, exceeding 80% within a week, and exhibited no ample toxicity in cell viability tests.
* Crucially, the formulation can be administered using a fine 22-gauge needle, minimizing patient discomfort and eliminating the need for surgical implantation.
“The implications of this research are profound,” Professor Garg emphasized. ”By reducing the frequency of dosing from multiple times a day to a weekly injection is a major step forward in Parkinson’s therapy. We’re not just improving how the drug is delivered; we’re improving patients’ lives.”
the potential applications of this adaptable technology extend beyond Parkinson’s disease. Professor Garg noted that the system could be modified for the long-term drug delivery needs of other chronic conditions, including cancer, diabetes, various neurodegenerative disorders, pain management, and chronic infections. The release rate of the drugs can be precisely tuned, allowing for delivery periods ranging from a few days to several weeks, depending on specific therapeutic requirements.UniSA scientists are actively pursuing clinical trials in the near future and are exploring commercialization opportunities to bring this life-changing treatment to patients worldwide.