Late-stage trial shows Cerevel’s Parkinson’s disease drug enhances symptom management, according to ET HealthWorld

Cerevel Therapeutics announced a significant breakthrough in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease with their drug, tavapadon. In a late-stage study involving 507 adults, the drug showed improved symptom control when used as an add-on therapy to levodopa, the standard of care for the nervous system disorder. The trial successfully met its primary goal of enhancing patient outcomes.

Patients who were given tavapadon in addition to levodopa experienced an increase of 1.1 hours in total “on” time without involuntary movements compared to those who were treated with levodopa and a placebo. Furthermore, a notable reduction in “off” time, which signifies periods of increased difficulty in movement, was observed in the patients who received the combination therapy.

The study focused on individuals aged between 40 and 80 who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and were experiencing motor fluctuations. Patients had been maintaining a stable dose of levodopa for at least four weeks before being enrolled in the trial.

Cerevel Therapeutics plans to release additional data from late-stage trials investigating tavapadon as a monotherapy in the latter half of 2024. Additionally, in December, AbbVie announced its acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics for approximately $8.7 billion, with the transaction expected to be finalized by mid-2024. The new treatment offers hope for the many individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease, a condition that affects about 1 million people in the United States.