Promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The therapeutic management of Parkinson’s disease has not yet been fully resolved, with motor fluctuations and levodopa-induced dyskinesia representing special therapeutic challenges. Furthermore, no disease-modifying therapies are currently available.Areas covered: This review focuses on promising novel therapies that are at present under investigation in Phase I or Phase II trials. Special emphasis is placed on gene therapies: vectors, the utilized gene constructs and the side-effects. Moreover, the main risk factors of the gene therapy (the insertional mutagenesis, the uncontrolled overproduction of the expressed protein and the autoimmune and inflammatory responses) are described.Expert opinion: Gene therapies represent a promising field in the therapeutic palette. In order to mitigate the side-effects of this therapy, the developments focus on the vectors applied.Gene therapy appears to be promising candidate for the management of motor complications in advanced stages of Parkin...