ISRADIPINE BEING TESTED FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE

2nd April 2014 - New clinical trial

After proving safe in a study funded by The Michael J.Fox Foundation, Isradipine is moving
to Phase III testing of its effect on Parkinson’s Disease thanks to a $23 million grant from the
National Institutes of Health. They hope to enrol more than 300 participants at 56 clinical
sites throughout North America. For more information go to the Michael J.Fox Foundation :

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?podcast-drug-that-may-slow-parkinson-progression-granted-23-million-from-nih-for-phase-iii

Isradipine is a calcium channel blocker that is marketed as
Dynacirc. Dynacirc is a drug that is prescribed to treat high blood
pressure. For more information concerning Dynacirc go to
Medline Plus :

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a693048.html

The basis for the clinical trial is that data from large studies found
that there was a lower incidence of Parkinson's Disease among
those people who took Isradipine.
However, when Isradipine was tested in Phase II clinical trials in people who had Parkinson's
Disease Isradipine caused side effects. The most common adverse events were peripheral
edema and dizziness. Isradipine also failed to have any significant effect on Parkinson's
Disease symptoms. For more information go to the Phase II clinical trial outcome :

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/grant-detail.php?grant_id=486

In order to treat Parkinson's Disease effectively dopamine formation must be increased but,
even in theory, calcium channel blockers can not do that.