Parkinson's drug shows promise in treating dementia

PanARMENIAN.Net - A drug approved for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease was shown to be effective in treating patients suffering from dementia-related psychosis (DRP), according to a study presented at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease meeting Wednesday night in San Diego, Fox Business says.

If the drug is approved for DRP, it would be the first therapy approved by the FDA for dementia-related psychosis.

Pimavanserin -- brand name Nuplazid -- was shown in a clinical trial to reduce the risk of psychotic relapse in patients suffering from DRP by nearly threefold, according to the study presented by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, which makes Nuplazid. The study examined 392 patients with DRP.

DRP is associated with neurological conditions including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Acadia says it will seek approval for the drug to treat DRP in 2020.

The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for Nuplazid for DRP treatment. The designation, according to the FDA, "is a process designed to expedite the development and review of drugs that are intended to treat a serious condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapy on a clinically significant endpoint(s)."