The International Parkinson’s Linked Clinical Trials (LCT) Initiative
The takeaway
Why is it important?
Impact
“This paper provides a wonderful overview of the Linked Clinical Trial initiative, delving deep into the history of the programme and sharing much of the back story. What began as an innovative “thinking outside the box” idea has now become a template that advocates for many other conditions are emulating. Numerous clinical trials have resulted from the effort, with many more planned. It is certainly an amazing legacy for Tom Isaacs.”
Background
The details
Since 2012, six Phase 2 trials have been launched in the US, UK and France, aiming to address safety and efficacy of the drugs in people with Parkinson’s. Five of these involve drugs that were ranked highly at the very first committee meeting in 2012: these are Bydureon, Liraglutide, Lixisenatide, Deferiprone and Simvastatin. In addition, Nilotinib, which mostly due to unclear safety concerns, was not highly ranked at the 2012 meeting, was discussed again at subsequent LCT meetings and then prioritised and moved forward to trials. Some of these drugs considered by LCT have now also entered independent clinical trials around the world. By mid 2019, it is expected that at least 25 drugs prioritized by LCT will have gone to trial, or reached trial completion. It was originally envisaged that several drugs could be tested in parallel, hence “Linked” trials which might share a single control group or similar protocol, to allow for direct comparison. Now, using innovative trial designs this aspect of the programme is also possible.
LCT is bringing promising disease-modifying therapeutics into long-term neuroprotective clinical trials, because it is (in Tom’s own words) “only through the clinical trial process that we can introduce outstanding therapeutics to the mainstream management of millions of PD patients worldwide”.
Where can I learn more?
- https://www.parkinsonsmovement.com/exenatide-in-parkinsons/
- https://www.cureparkinsons.org.uk/News/the-liraglutide-trial
- https://www.parkinsonsmovement.com/deferiprone-in-parkinsons/
- https://www.parkinsonsmovement.com/nilotinib/
- https://penctu.psmd.plymouth.ac.uk/pdstat/
About chair, Patrik Brundin:
- The Lancet