Drug similar to Ozempic slowed Parkinson’s disease in small trial [Video]

A highly popular class of drugs for diabetes and obesity is showing early potential to help patients with Parkinson’s disease, too. 

An older diabetes treatment called lixisenatide helped slow the progression of motor disability after 12 months in patients at an early stage of the condition, according to results from a small mid-stage trial published Wednesday. The drug, made by Sanofi, is a GLP-1 like Novo Nordisk‘s blockbuster diabetes injection Ozempic and weight loss counterpart Wegovy. 

Motor disability refers to symptoms such as tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement, which can make it difficult for patients to walk, talk and swallow. Researchers from France said larger and longer studies are needed to fully determine the efficacy and safety of Sanofi’s treatment in patients with the degenerative brain illness, including how long the benefits may last.

Still, the results, publishedlate Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine mark an encouraging step forward in the decades-long effort to tackle Parkinson’s …