Lixisenatide, a drug similar to Ozempic, showed promise in slowing Parkinson's disease progression

From CNBC: 2024-04-04 17:23:06

Promising results from a mid-stage trial show that an older diabetes drug called lixisenatide helped slow the progression of motor disability in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, marks progress in finding new treatments for the degenerative brain illness affecting half a million Americans.

These findings add to the potential health benefits of GLP-1 drugs, which have gained popularity for weight loss and blood sugar regulation. However, more research is needed to determine if newer GLP-1 drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly could also benefit Parkinson’s patients. Both companies are investigating their drugs in other conditions but not for managing Parkinson’s.

Patients who received lixisenatide in the trial showed no progression of motor symptoms compared to those in the placebo group who experienced worsening motor problems. The difference in motor disability outcomes between the two groups persisted for two months after the trial’s conclusion. However, using the drug was associated with common gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting.



Read more at CNBC: Drug similar to Ozempic slowed Parkinson’s disease in small trial