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Parkinson's gene therapy may lead to similar ALS treatments

October 10, 2006

A new gene therapy tested at Rush University Medical Center reduced Parkinson's disease symptoms by a remarkable 40 percent, researchers announced October 10th, 2006.

If preliminary results hold up, gene therapy could become the first treatment with the potential to slow, halt or even reverse the course of the progressive Parkinson's disease. Existing treatments relieve symptoms, but do not prevent the disease from getting worse.

Approximatley half a million and one-and-a-half million Americans have Parkinson's disease, which is defined by rigid and slow movements and tremors throughout the muscles of the body. Parkinson's results from the decay and death of brain cells which produce a critical brain chemical called dopamine. Symptoms worsen as more brain cells die.

The new therapy has a brain surgeon drill two nickel-size holes in the top of the head. The surgeon inserts a needle deep into the brain and injects a harmless virus containing the desired gene.

The operation and two-day hospital stay costs between $40,000 and $50,000 and doesn't account for the gene injection, which would be an additional cost.

Four patients at Rush, and eight at the University of California, San Francisco, have had the surgery.

Parkinson patient Robert Lee of Orland Park said that before his surgery last February, he couldn't walk more than a block or two without excruciating nerve pain in his leg. Now, Robert can walk three miles. Robert also has been able to cut back on his Parkinson meds.