20 Jan 2023 • "Scientists report that the cough medication ambroxol showed promise in slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease in a phase 2 clinical trial. The Cure Parkinsons organization in the United Kingdom along with VanAndel Institute are currently recruiting 330 people for a phase 3 clinical trial of ambroxol as a potential drug for slowing or stopping the progression of Parkinson’s disease. The participants will take ambroxol or a placebo for two years. Researchers will measure the quality of life and movements as determining factors. “This is a very intriguing area of research that may eventually lead us closer to personalized medicine,” said Dr. Melita Petrossian, a neurologist and director of the Movement Disorders Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California. Results from the phase 2 trial of potential Parkinson’s drug : The success of a recent phase two clinical trial led to the upcoming phase three trial.The results of the phase two trial that tested safety and tolerability were published in 2020. Researchers reported that ambroxol could slow the disease by increasing glucocerebrosidase levels in cells. This chemical promotes the effective removal of waste proteins in cells.While the phase 2 trial showed the potential for slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease, the primary purpose of the trial was to test the safety of the drug. For the study, the dose of ambroxol was about 10 times higher than when taken as a cough medicine and was taken longer than its license allowed. “The missing piece of the puzzle is a medication to slow progression, so if ambroxol can do so, it would be a major global breakthrough,” Petrossian noted. Source: Healthline | Read full story"