[Stitcher]

Parkinson's Disease is Poised to become a Significant Public Health Burden as the Population Ages

Monday December 4, 10:31 am ET

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/061204/20061204005531.html?.v=1

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c46415) has announced the addition of the Decision Resources report "Parkinson's Disease Biomarkers: Vital Tools for Neuroprotectants" to their offering.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is poised to become a significant public health burden as the population ages. Decision Resources expect the number of PD cases in the seven major drug markets we cover to reach nearly 3.6 million in 2015, yet no therapy is available to treat the disease. Thus, the PD market provides significant opportunity for disease-modifying drugs, but their potential will not be fully realized without a biomarker that permits diagnosis of the disease in its early stages, when disease-modifying therapies would be most effective.

By the time symptoms progress to the point where a physician diagnoses PD, up to 70-80% of dopaminergic neurons are lost. A biomarker would allow a PD patient to receive a diagnosis and start treatment years earlier. What are the difficulties in diagnosing PD, and why are early diagnosis and treatment so important? What are the limitations of current treatments for PD? Several manufacturers are investigating imaging and genetic markers as diagnostic agents. What value does a PD biomarker offer? What diagnostic markers are emerging, and what challenges do they face? How might these agents impact the U.S. PD market?

Disease-modifying (neuroprotectant) drugs can slow the progression of PD, but only two such drugs are expected to launch over the next ten years. The success of these drugs hinges on the development of a diagnostic marker. How are biomarkers impacting the development of neuroprotectants? Which drug manufacturers would benefit most from the launch of a biomarker?

Scope of the report:

• Pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD): etiology and clinical symptoms, use of biomarkers.
• Value of biomarkers for PD: benefits and limitations of biomarkers and their effects on current and emerging PD therapies.
• Emerging imaging agents for PD diagnosis: DaTSCAN, Altropane, Dopascan.
• Market implications: concurrent drug/diagnostic development, hurdles to market, and the impact of PD biomarkers on neuroprotectant development.
  [*Outlook: how biomarkers will increase the potential of the PD market.

Companies mentioned:

• Aguettant
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Boston Life Sciences
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Britannia Pharmaceuticals
• Cephalon
• Chiesi
• Daiichi Radioisotope Laboratories
• GE Healthcare
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Guilford Pharmaceuticals
• Lundbeck
• MAP Medical Technologies
• MGI Pharmaceuticals
• Molecular Neuroimaging
• Nycomed Amersham
• Orion
• PETNET Solutions
• Sanofi -Aventis
• Schering AG
• Somerset
• Symphony Neuro Development Company
• Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Titan Pharmaceuticals
• Vernalis

[jeanb]

Thank you, Carolyn,

This popped into my mailbox as well today. They say they expect only 2 neuroprotectant drugs will be approved in the next 10 years. So I'm wondering - WHICH of the drugs in the pipeline are they referring to?

And will I have enough brain cells left by that time for them to protect?

hmmmmmm