USF researcher integral part of FDA’s approval of new Parkinson’s drug

The Parkinson’s Foundation said the cause of the disease remains largely unknown, yet worldwide around 10 million people are affected by it. 

However, a new drug has emerged that could be extremely beneficial to those with PD.

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder with no cure. However, the symptoms can be controlled with medication.

Dr. Robert Hauser is the Director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at the University of South Florida Health. He said the new medication called Crexont could be extremely beneficial to those experiencing symptoms brought on by the disease.

And he has been an integral part of getting Crexont approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Patients with Parkinson’s disease are losing dopamine neurons and dopamine in the brain goes low and that causes the main symptoms, slowness, stiffness and tremor,” Hauser said. “The main benefit is that it provides better control over Parkinson’s symptoms.”

He said that the drug’s ability to last longer between doses is a huge win for those with PD.

Past medications did not provide long-lasting relief for symptoms, which led people to experience what Hauser called chaos. 

“Where they’re taking the medication many times a day and they’re only getting about two and half hours of good control at a time,” said Hauser. “They have these short periods of good control.” 

With the new drug, patients will be able to take fewer doses because it provides longer periods of relief. 

“In the study, patients were able to take three doses of Crexont per day and get longer control of their Parkinson’s symptoms through the day, compared to patients who were taking five doses per day of the standard immediate release formulation,” Hauser said.

Hauser said Crexont will not be the end of Parkinson’s relief. 

“We’re looking at a number of potentially promising medications and looking at their ability to potentially stop the process of clumping up in neurons to evaluate their ability to slow progression of Parkinson’s disease,” Hauser said.