A New Treatment for Neurodegenerative Disease - Isis Project No 2839

Researchers at the University of Oxford have identified a novel mechanism to protect neurons from the cell death underlying Parkinson’s disease.

Marketing Opportunity

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common and fatal disorder, predominantly of the elderly, affecting 1-2% of the population. PD is a slow, progressive illness and patients require long-term hospitalisation and care. PD therefore represents a significant cost to the healthcare system and has enormous implications for the quality of life of sufferers. As Western populations continue to age, this burden is set to increase and there are currently no treatments available which alter disease progression.

The Oxford Invention

The invention comprises a technique for reducing neuronal susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease related cell death using RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of α-synuclein, a protein which plays a critical role in PD. The Oxford researchers have shown RNAi-mediated knock-down of α-synuclein reduces dopamine accumulation in neurons by reducing the activity of the dopamine transporter which brings dopamine into a cell. This reduces the oxidative stress and neuronal death that underlies Parkinson’s disease. The researchers have found that reducing the expression of the normal form of α-synuclein is able to protect neurons from toxic insults which gives this invention broad application in all forms of Parkinson’s disease.

At present, treatments for Parkinson’s disease are symptomatic and are unable to alter the underlying course of the disease. This invention addresses the heart of the problem by stopping neurons dying. This technique has application to all forms of Parkinson’s disease either as a primary prevention intervention or as treatment for pre-existing Parkinson’s disease. As such, this represents a method for altering the natural history of the illness and is a significant step towards developing a cure for the disease.

Patent Status

This work is the subject of a patent application. Interested parties are welcome to discuss with Isis Innovation on how to utilise this invention. Please contact the Isis Project Manager to discuss this further.

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