Australian researchers have created a hydrogel that can be used as a one-off therapy to treat Parkinson's disease and possibly other neurological conditions, such as those caused by strokes.
Researchers from the Australian National University, in collaboration with the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, have developed a treatment in the form of a gel composed of amino acids that can be injected into the brain. When shaken, the hydrogel turns into a liquid, facilitating its introduction through a small capillary. The gel then returns to its solid form, filling the irregularly shaped voids and thus helping to safely transport replacement stem cells to the damaged parts of the brain.
"The real change is that this is a one-off intervention," said Australian National University professor David Nisbet. He added that this meant that a patient who needed such help to alleviate their symptoms for many years would only have to visit the hospital once. To date, the gel has only been tested on animals and has proved effective in combating the movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease in rats. Nisbet hopes that clinical trials will begin within the next five years.
Importantly, the hydrogel is relatively inexpensive to produce and once the materials are approved for clinical use, mass production can easily be scaled up.
An estimated 100,000 Australians are living with Parkinson's disease, and there are 10 million such patients worldwide. To date, no effective drug has been invented. Can we therefore speak of a breakthrough?
Source: medexpress.co.uk