Tear proteins seen as Parkinson’s biomarker

Dr. Lew said that, if the initial results bear out in a larger cohort, the next step is to test the tears of people with genetic or atypical forms of PD and compare the results with those for idiopathic forms. “These atypical forms, like progressive supranuclear palsy [PSP] and multiple system atrophy [MSA], can be very difficult to tell apart clinically in the early stages. If we had a simple test to do that, it would be very helpful.”

A reliable biomarker, if it can be shown to be sensitive early in disease, also would have implications for the timing of disease-modifying interventions, such as the monoclonal antibodies or gene therapies that are currently being investigated.

“We don’t have those therapies now, but in a few years we very well could,” Dr. Lew said. “If we could identify patients early and if we had a therapy that we could give them that was disease-modifying, or neuroprotective, you’d want to start much earlier than we currently do.”

This study from Dr. Lew and his colleagues was supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Plotkin Foundation. Dr. Lew has received personal compensation for consulting for, serving on a scientific advisory board for, speaking for, or other activities with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, US WorldMeds, AbbVie, Lundbeck, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, UCB, Revance Therapeutics, and Adamas Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Lew has received research support from Acorda Therapeutics, Biotie Therapies, NeuroDerm, and Lilly. None of the other authors had anything to disclose.

SOURCE: Feigenbaum D et al. Abstract 4209.