22/10/2024
CLINICAL TRIAL PROVES EFFECTIVE FOR PARKINSON'S PATIENTS - Four Parkinson’s patients at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) at Derriford Hospital are now benefitting from a new commercially available treatment, after being part of the clinical trial to test its safety and effectiveness.
The treatment, called Produodopa, is delivered by a small pump, which enables the medication to be continuously administered under the skin 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2023 and has been available on the NHS since February, thanks to research which took place at UHP, King’s College Hospital, London and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
The clinical trial into the safety and effectiveness of Produodopa, led by Camille Carroll, Honorary Consultant Neurologist at UHP, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Plymouth and Newcastle University and Joint Clinical Director of the Parkinson’s Excellence Network, has been taking place at UHP for 5 years, with 5 patients taking part at the south west site.
Thanks to the success of the trial, 4 patients have now been able to move to the commercially available version of the new treatment, which aims to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s and reduce the fluctuations caused by taking oral tablets throughout the day.
The treatment enables continuous symptom management and provides patients with greater control over their condition and medication related side effects.
Talking about the new treatment, Abigail Patrick, Specialist Research Practitioner and Neurology Research Team Leader at UHP, said: “Parkinson’s patients often take medication orally, and as the condition progresses, the medication might not work as well. As Parkinson’s patients can experience clouded thinking and reduced motor function, they may not necessarily know when their medications are working correctly. By providing a medication which runs 24-hours a day, it reduces the ups and downs related to taking oral medication.
“By being part of the clinical trial, the patients at UHP were able to seamlessly move across to the treatment once it was commercially available and had no gaps in their treatment, which is not always the case with trials. We are pioneering with new treatments in the south west, and this is a really good example of cross team working where the research teams worked alongside the clinical teams.
"This meant that the transition was done with nurses who knew the patients, and this helped to streamline the process of getting the new treatment in place. It was very much a multidisciplinary team effort.”
John Whipps, a Parkinson’s patient from Cornwall, and his wife Sue, who provided a vital support role, both took part in the study, having the opportunity to give feedback about the pump, the liquid and adverse events.
Reflecting on their experience, Sue said: “John was at a complex stage of Parkinson's. The oral drugs weren’t helping, and he was getting side effects. At the time, John didn’t want to move onto the existing pump as it was expected that he would suffer from the same issues. He also didn’t want surgery in order to get brain stimulation treatment.
“Luckily, John had a very interested consultant, so she was aware of John’s history of working in research. Camille was very involved, and she knew he needed a device assisted therapy. We were looking at options at Bristol, but she said slow down, there’s something coming up which you might be interested in.
"Eventually she was able to tell us about the trial and John agreed to do it. It was amazing timing. She called to ask if he would join the trial and a week later, he was signed up.”
Talking about the outcome of the research, John said: “I feel really great as we’ve managed to give something back. A lot of the research work that people do doesn’t really get realised but this one has. We’re really glad to see it’s available.
“Being part of research is significantly important as there are always requirements for new treatments to be developed. The only way to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s, and to slow, stop and reserve it, is by people agreeing to become participants in research. Nothing will change unless you try.”
This is the first new treatment in a number of years which has been made available on the NHS for Parkinson’s patients and while not everyone will be eligible for this treatment, it is hoped it will improve the symptoms. Currently, UHP is working to set up the new service, such as recruiting to new posts, to offer the treatment to more patients.
Speaking about the importance of research at UHP, Camille Carroll said: “Providing people with the opportunity to take part in research studies is a vital part of their care. We know that people who take part in studies do better, and that hospitals that are active in research provide better care. Research is the way that we discover new treatments.
“At UHP we work hard to provide a range of studies for people to take part in, and to ensure that taking part is enjoyable, and that study participants are well supported. We are so grateful to everyone who volunteers to take part. Together we can make a real difference - not just to their lives, but also to the lives of many more people.
“It was a privilege to lead the Produodopa trial at UHP and I’m delighted to now be working with others in the UHP Parkinson’s team to be setting up the service for patients in our region.”
Dr. Rowan Wathes, Associate Director of Policy and Health Strategy at Parkinson’s UK said: “Produodopa is an important step forward in the treatment of Parkinson’s for people whose symptoms are no longer effectively managed by oral medications and we’re thrilled to see University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust leading the way in making the drug available to those who will benefit from it.
"Our hope is that all NHS Trusts will soon establish services for this vital treatment, so that many more people with Parkinson’s can benefit from Produodopa and gain greater control over their symptoms and their lives.”
