This common diabetes drug may prevent Parkinson’s disease

A drug used to treat diabetes, exenatide could reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to this research which suggests new possibilities for treating this neurodegenerative disorder.

Surprising discoveries

After years of conflicting research, a large study conducted in 2018 confirmed a link between Type 2 diabetes and the disease of Parkinson’s. Covering several million subjects, it notably revealed that type 2 diabetics were 32% more likely to develop the disease. Parkinson’s. Along with these findings, important preliminary human research has explored the effects of a drug called exenatide on symptoms of Parkinson’s.

More recently, a placebo-controlled study in a cohort of 60 patients with this debilitating disease suggested that exenatide may slow the progression of degenerative motor symptoms.

As part of this new study published in the journal Brain, the researchers looked at the medical records of more than 100,000 patients with type 2 diabetes. The cohort was divided into different groups based on the diabetes drug treatment they were given. This enabled the team to highlight significantly lower rates of Parkinson’s in people with diabetes taking one of these two classes of drugs to treat it: agonists GLP-1 (including exenatide) and inhibitors DPP4.

Designed to bind and activate receptor proteins on pancreatic cells and neurons, agonists GLP-1 help stimulate insulin secretion, which lowers blood glucose levels and triggers a mechanism that can protect neurons from possible damage.

A phase 3 clinical trial currently underway

According to the study’s authors, these findings definitely help to strengthen the link between type 2 diabetes and diabetes. Parkinson’s, and suggest that a compound such as exenatide may actually influence the course of the disease, and not just improve symptoms. Currently, they are conducting a phase 3 clinical trial aimed at precisely determining the effects of the drug on the progression of this neurodegenerative disorder. Bringing together 200 subjects, this involves the weekly intake of exenatide or a placebo over a period of two years.

” Although more research is needed to confirm the clinical implications of this compound, it is important that physicians consider risk factors for Parkinson’s disease when prescribing medications to treat type 2 diabetes. their patients », Concludes Li Wei, lead co-author of the study.