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Australian-led trial finds experimental drug reduces brain inflammation in people at high risk of Parkinson's

Phase 2 study of SNT-4728 shows potential to slow or prevent the neurodegenerative disease

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time2 min
Sources4 outlets
An Australian-led clinical trial has for the first time produced evidence that an experimental drug called SNT-4728 can reduce inflammation in the brains of people at high risk of developing Parkinson's disease, raising hopes of a treatment that could slow or even stop the condition before symptoms become debilitating.

The phase two trial involved 41 people with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD), a hallmark early warning sign of Parkinson's that causes individuals to act out their dreams, often violently. Participants also had at least one other early symptom, such as a partial loss of smell. About three-quarters received SNT-4728, while the rest received a placebo.

Researchers led by Professor Simon Lewis at Macquarie University's Brain Institute and Clinic used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure neuroinflammation at the start of the study and again after 12 weeks. The results showed a reduction in inflammation in those who took the drug.

John Clowes, a participant from Sydney's inner west, enrolled in the trial after developing iRBD. He described thrashing around in bed and throwing himself out of bed during vivid dreams. His grandfather died from Parkinson's, and his father had a powerful emotional reaction when recalling the deterioration. "The enormous emotional reaction from my father, I'd never seen anything like that before," Clowes said. "He was quite a strong man."

Clowes said he did not hesitate to join the trial when the opportunity arose.

The results offer a potential pathway to preventing Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative movement disorder that affects millions worldwide and currently has no disease-modifying treatments that can stop its progression.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Parkinson's disease affects millions globally, with no approved therapy that can slow or halt its progression.
  • If confirmed in larger trials, SNT-4728 could become the first preventive treatment for people identified as high-risk, fundamentally changing how the disease is managed.
  • The trial demonstrates that targeting neuroinflammation in the earliest stages may be a viable strategy, opening new avenues for drug development.

Background

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with movement and coordination. It results from the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, with chronic inflammation believed to play a key role in their destruction. Isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) is one of the strongest known predictors of Parkinson's: most people with iRBD will develop the disease within a decade or two. Until now, no intervention has been shown to alter that trajectory. This Australian-led phase 2 trial is the first to test whether an anti-inflammatory drug can reduce brain inflammation in this high-risk group.

Key Perspectives

Researchers (Professor Simon Lewis and Macquarie University team): Their findings provide proof-of-concept that SNT-4728 can lower neuroinflammation, a mechanism believed to be central to Parkinson's onset. They see this as a critical step toward a preventative therapy. Patients and high-risk individuals (John Clowes): For those with iRBD or a family history of Parkinson's, the prospect of a drug that might delay or prevent the disease is life-changing. The trial gave Clowes hope he would not follow his grandfather's path. Broader medical and scientific community: While the results are promising, experts will want to see whether reduced inflammation translates into a meaningful delay in clinical Parkinson's diagnosis, which requires longer follow-up and larger phase 3 trials.

What to Watch

  • Larger phase 3 trials to confirm efficacy and safety in a broader population.
  • Long-term follow-up of trial participants to see if SNT-4728 actually prevents or delays the onset of motor symptoms.
  • Regulatory interest from bodies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the FDA, and the timeline for potential clinical use.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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