Potential therapy for PD via llama-derived nanobodies (mini antibodies) against a-syn
 

SoPD article: The Llama-nation of Parkinson's disease, 12 July 2017.
The Llama-nation of Parkinson’s disease | The Science of Parkinson's disease

Research overview: Potential therapy for Parkinson's disease through llama antibodies, 4 July 2017.
Potential therapy for Parkinson’s disease through llama antibodies - On Biology

Research paper: Nanobodies raised against monomeric alpha-synuclein inhibit fibril formation and destabilize toxic oligomeric species, Marija Iljina et al. BMC Biology, 3 July 2017.
Nanobodies raised against monomeric ɑ-synuclein inhibit fibril formation and destabilize toxic oligomeric species | BMC Biology | Full Text

(this is an open-access research paper)

Thanks jeffreyn - the paper looks good to me (I have heard Chris Dobson talk at conferences; he has an excellent reputation).

One problem which will have to be solved before the camel nanobodies can be used therapeutically is that they are not human proteins. That means that the human immune system will make antibodies against them, which are likely to block their effects.

Before they can be used therapeutically they will have to be "humanised", which means taking the DNA which codes for the regions of them which recognise ɑ-synuclein (their CDRs) and putting them into a gene which codes for a human VH domain.

This should not be hard; many therapeutic mouse monoclonal antibodies have been humanised in this way.