Has anyone seen this?

[Susie01]

April 12, 2012 4:35 PM PrintText

Novel Parkinson's treatment reportedly reverses symptoms

By Ryan Jaslow Topics News ,Research .

(Credit: iStockphoto)

(CBS News) A revolutionary new Parkinson's disease treatment is creating a buzz after a Sky News report showed a patient whp had the the disease for 17 years reverse the severity of her symptoms.

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The treatment is a single injection therapy called ProSavin. Developed by scientists at OxfordBioMedica in the U.K., ProSavin is a shot to the brain that delivers genes for three different enzymes responsible for producing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Parkinson's occurs when nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine are gradually destroyed, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Sky News interviewed Sheila Roy, a woman who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's 17 years earlier while she was in her 40s.

"People would take knives off me in the kitchen because I was everywhere with the knife. My vocal cords would suddenly shut so I can't breathe," Roy said.

Less than a year after treatment, she's begun to reverse the severity of some symptoms. "I'm starting to see a glimmer of the person I used to be, which is exciting," she said.

The U.K. Press Association reports for the first time in 15 years, Roy can write with a pen.

Sky News reports the treatment has only been tried on 15 people worldwide. Commenting on the treatment, Roy's physician Dr. Philip Buttery, from the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, says it's still early but the injection appears to be showing positive results in early trials.

"It seems to be having an overall beneficial effect in smoothing out people's days, probably allowing a slight dose reduction in medication and in some patients a better sleep pattern and a better quality of life for all," Buttery told Sky News.

Dr. Kieran Breen, director of research and innovation at Parkinson's UK, told the Huffington Post that there are three other gene therapy trials underway in addition to ProSavin.

"Now the challenge is to see whether they are more effective than the medications we already have for Parkinson's."

According to the Parkinson's disease Foundation, as many as one million Americans live with the disease with approximately 60,000 more diagnosed each year. Worldwide, an estimated seven to 10 million have Parkinson's. There are many medications available to treat symptoms, but currently no treatment reverses the disorder.

[WayneP]

Yes, I saw the video about this and it does look promising. The thing about it is for me personally is that at least here in the States it will take forever and a day for some thing like this to get FDA approval. Can you just imagine them sitting in a room hearing this one, "And we inject the brain...." 3 years of testing for just saying inject the brain. And we just Shake,Shake,Shake!!!!!

We must be safe and all but the red tape is mind boggling.

[gazelleuk]

WayneP and Susie01

Thank you Thank you , I had missed the news on this subject & my husband wanted me to read about the new results. I thought I won't get excited until !

I have read your posts and all I can tell you is that

I am so so grateful for being a "Geordie"

I was born in Newcastle and have the best treatment in the world as far as I'm concerned. My goodness this is the best news I have read in 10 yrs since diagnosed and it's with "Geordie assistance " whooo hoooo

[Susie01 in reply to gazelleuk]

I am in the US, PD knowledge and treatment does not seem to happen as quickly as the folks in other countries...

[WayneP in reply to gazelleuk]

Yes, that is awesome news and we must hope that more people soon get to have access to this treatment. I am so happy for Sheila in the story. We must not be envious that she was able to get this treatment but supportive and hopeful for the rest of us that we may all be next.

[wifeofparky]

I printed out the info and we are taking it to his next Neuro appt. We are also in US but our doctor works with Research also. It will be interesting to hear what he says. I may also submit the info at our Symposium at the end of April to hear what the experts there say about it if they don't discuss it during the program.

[Susie01 in reply to wifeofparky]

Please keep us updated after you see your neuro, and the Symposium.

[wifeofparky in reply to Susie01]

Of course I will. I am looking forward to the 28th. One of the segments is on surviving a hospital stay. I wish they had this covered last year before Ken was hospitalized with a gangrernous gallbladder. If I hadn't intervened with help from our local Support Group, I don't know what would have happened.

[MagicMax]

It would be great if a cure for PD were discovered anyplace in the world. I am not fussy. I would like to know what happened to the oath doctors take stating they will do no harm, and use any possible means to heal their patients. Nothing is mentioned about having to insure pharmaceutical companies must make a profit. If everyone with PD were healed, would there be a lack of patients with other problems that would cause anyone to lose money? Seems like a CURE has been discovered using a current antibiotic. View this site; it requires translation into the language of your choice that your browser will ask: gp29.net/?p=2252

[tmhiggs]

yea, i just heard about it. is this in the states yet?

[Susie01]

Have not heard anything new...