The trial will examine the effects of prasinezumab--which targets the protein thought to be responsible for the neurodegenerative condition. For around two years, 575 patients from 9 countries, including Spain, the US and Luxembourg, will either receive the treatment or a placebo alongside their usual medication.

The LIH and Luxembourg City’s hospital group CHL will work on this survey locally, collaborating with Roche Pharmaceuticals, the laboratory at the origin of the pratinezumab molecule. The molecule could contribute to neuroprotective therapies which slow down the progress of Parkinson’s or event revert symptoms.

According to professor Reiko Krüger, who commented the study in a press release: “From a scientific perspective, prasinezumab holds the promise to target the root cause of neurodegeneration in PD and may contribute to a first disease-modifying treatment of PD. This would not only bring patients affected by PD another treatment option. It could change their lives.” Krüger is the principal investigator at CHL clinical site in Luxembourg and director of the transversal translational medicine of the LIH.

Prasinezumab will be administered to subjects with a confirmed Parkinson’s disease diagnosis who are aged between 50 and 85 and will have shown symptoms for 6 months to 3 years. These patients will have received medication to treat symptoms for at least 6 months, the institute explains, and will continue to do so during the trial.

So far, there is no effective disease-modifying treatment. Prasinezumab, however, if successful, will target and eliminate any excesses of alphasynuclein--a protein contributing to the progression of the disease--thereby improving the health of neurons and slowing down the progress of the disease.

The study will take place simultaneously in Luxembourg, the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, US, Canada, Austria and France.