Recruitment has begun at multiple sites across the US and around the world for the STEADY-PD Phase III trial to test the effectiveness of isradipine on slowing the progression of PD. Isradipine is a calcium channel blocker currently approved to treat hypertension. This is a very important study as there are very good pre-clinical studies to support the hypothesis of isradipine being neuroprotective; long-term epidemiology studies have shown a lower incidence of PD among people who take certain types of calcium channel blockers; the science behind the hypothesis makes a lot of biological and chemical sense; and the drug is already approved with a well known safety profile and minimal side effects.
The study is sponsored by The Parkinson Study Group (PSG) with support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. MJFF helped fund the successful Phase II study. The link below provides more details and a list of site locations.
The study is limited to early stage (less than 3 years) PWP.
http://steadypd3.com/