US launch of CREXONT® for Parkinson’s disease

23 September 2024: Amneal Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has launched CREXONT® (carbidopa and levodopa) extended-release capsules for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. CREXONT® is a novel, oral formulation of carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) that combines both immediate-release granules and extended-release pellets. “We are pleased to launch CREXONT and make it broadly available to healthcare providers and patients. The…

Rewriting the story of dementia

Poetry book challenges mainstream media portrayal In the palm of a spider’s hand by Gerald King, who was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s at 55, aims to challenge the dehumanising narratives about dementia perpetuated by mainstream media. This publication seeks to redefine how we understand and engage with the lived dementia experience. King’s words liken Alzheimer’s…

Deutetrabenazine for Tardive Dyskinesia 

Teva Announces Long Term Efficacy and Safety of Deutetrabenazine in European Patients 21st September 2024: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has announced that a new analysis from the European cohort of the RIM-TD open-label extension (OLE) study revealed that deutetrabenazine treatment of patients with Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) was associated with long term improvement of TD symptoms….

Triptans effective for acute migraine sufferers

Study suggests Triptans are the most effective medicine for adults who experience acute migraines Findings of a study, in which researchers looked at 137 controlled trials that tested oral drugs commonly used to treat migraines, have been published in The British Medical Journal. The trials involved a total of 89,445 patients who were given one of 17…

Phase 1 study of UB-312 shows promise in Parkinson’s disease

In a study published in Nature Medicine on 18th September 2024, Parkinson’s patients reported improved daily movement with Vaxxinity’s Parkinson’s drug UB-312. The small trial, which included work from researchers at the University of Texas, the Mayo Clinic, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, included only 20 people with Parkinson’s. However, it…

FDA clearance for amyloid imaging software in Alzheimer’s disease

GE HealthCare’s MIM Software division has received FDA clearance for software to image amyloid plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The automated MIMneuro programme analyses PET images from any scanner using injectable tracer agents with the aim of providing a standardised metric for one of the main aspects of Alzheimer’s pathology. It…

FDA approves subcutaneous Ocrevus in the US

Ocrevus Zunovo is a twice yearly, under the skin treatment offered in clinic “This is something than can be provided in clinics and doesn’t require people to go to an infusion center,” David Jones, Genentech’s Medical Director for MS, said in an interview. “This will expand access to individuals who may not be able to…

Biogen to seek approval for high-dose version of Spinraza for SMA

Over the past decade, three drugs—Biogen’s Spinraza, Roche’s Evrysdi, and Novartis’ gene therapy Zolgensma—have transformed spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treatment. However, unmet needs remain. Biogen, the first to receive SMA approval in 2016, is addressing this with a higher dose of Spinraza (nusinersen). In Biogen’s phase 2/3 DEVOTE study, the higher dose significantly improved motor…

First patient dosed in Phase 3 study of oral cladribine in gMG

29 August, 2024: Merck has announced the first patient has been dosed in the Phase III MyClad trial (NCT06463587) evaluating the efficacy and safety of oral cladribine for the treatment of generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG).  Cladribine capsules have the potential to be the first oral treatment for gMG patients. gMG is a rare, neuromuscular disorder…