Eli Lilly and Company and Medtronic, Inc. have entered into
a collaboration to research and develop a new approach to treating Parkinson’s
disease that involves delivering a potential new medicine to the brain using an
implantable drug delivery system. The goal of the collaboration is to develop a
therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s disease that combines the strengths of
Lilly’s biologic, a modified form of glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF),
with Medtronic’s implantable drug infusion system technology.
“We believe we have biosynthetically engineered this
GDNF variant to overcome technical hurdles of previous research in this area
and are hopeful that early testing of our biologic with Medtronic’s device will
provide the necessary data to safely advance into human studies,” said Michael
L. Hutton, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of the neurodegeneration team at
Lilly. “By collaborating with Medtronic from the earliest phase of
research, we are maximizing the potential for this therapy’s efficient and
effective development.”
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition caused
by progressive loss of neurons in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical
messenger responsible for transmitting signals that allow for coordination of
movement. As a result, patients with Parkinson’s disease experience balance
problems, tremors and muscular stiffness, among other symptoms which worsen
over time. It is estimated that 7 million to 10 million people worldwide are
living with Parkinson’s disease(i) and there is no cure. Around the world,
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
Applying its expertise in biotechnology, Lilly has designed
its GDNF variant with the intent to achieve increased distribution in targeted
brain regions. Medtronic has developed a drug pump and specially designed
catheter to enable precise delivery of the GDNF variant into a targeted area of
the brain consistently over time. This combination of a novel GDNF variant,
paired with an optimized delivery system, has the potential to impact the
neurodegeneration that leads to worsening symptoms and progression of
Parkinson’s disease.
“Our collaboration with Lilly is bringing together the
expertise of both companies to develop a new approach to the treatment of
Parkinson’s disease,” said Steve Oesterle, M.D., senior vice president of
Medicine and Technology at Medtronic. “One of the most significant
challenges in delivering a biologic treatment for neurodegenerative diseases is
crossing the blood brain barrier. We have extensive experience in targeted drug
delivery and technology that allow delivery of therapeutic agents directly to
the brain.”
“While a potential treatment approach resulting from
this research is many years away, we are heartened by Lilly and Medtronic’s
commitment to develop a neurotrophic-based therapy for Parkinson’s
disease,” said Katie Hood, CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson’s Research. “Our foundation has funded separate, ongoing work in
neurotrophic factors for years, and we continue to believe in their promise to
lead to a critically needed disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson’s.”
