Tapeworm drug could be used to treat Parkinson’s

A DRUG used to tackle tapeworm could help lead the fight against Parkinson’s disease, according to scientists from Cardiff University.

Researchers have identified a drug molecule within a medicine used to treat tapeworm infections which could lead to new treatments for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that, according to the charity Parkinson’s UK, affects one person in every 500.

That means an estimated 127,000 people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease in the UK.

Over the last decade, researchers trying to find a cure for the debilitating disease have focused their attention on a protein found in the human body known as PINK1.

It is understood that the malfunction of this protein is one of the leading causes of Parkinson’s disease.

Several studies have suggested that discovering a drug which is capable of enhancing the function of PINK1 could be a significant step in halting neurodegeneration and therefore slow down or even treat Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers at Cardiff and Dundee universities have discovered that a drug used to treat tapeworm infections, Niclosamide, is also an effective activator of the PINK1 protein. The study also revealed that Niclosamide and some of its derivatives could enhance PINK1 performance within cells and neurons.

This has given the researchers reason to believe that this drug could provide new hope for patients living with Parkinson’s disease.

Co-study lead Dr Youcef Mehellou, from Cardiff University, said: “This work represents the first report of a clinically-used drug to activate PINK1 and may hold promise in treating Parkinson’s disease.

“We will now take our findings to the next level by evaluating the ability of Niclosamide to treat Parkinson’s disease in disease models.

“This is an exciting stage of our research and we are positive about the long-term impact it could have on patients’ lives.”

The study, The Anthelmintic Drug Niclosamide and its Analogues Activate the Parkinson’s Disease Associated Protein Kinase PINK1, is published in the journal iChemBioChem