Lundbeck has initiated phase I clinical trials with the pharmaceutical candidate Lu AA47070 to investigate safety, tolerability and the pharmacokinetic profile of the compound in humans. Lu AA47070 is a novel adenosine receptor antagonist that has been shown to be efficacious in a number of animal models for neurological diseases including models of Parkinson's disease. It is therefore expected that Lu AA47070 may have a potential in certain neurological indications and could be an alternative to e.g. dopamine agonists in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
"Lu AA47070 is a very promising compound with a unique profile and has the potential to make a significant difference to for instance patients suffering from Parkinson's disease," says Peter Høngaard Andersen, Head of Research at Lundbeck. He continues: "Lu AA47070 is discovered at Lundbeck and is our first compound within the neurology area from our internal research."
About Parkinsons Disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative condition. The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is not known and is believed to be multifactorial involving genes, environmental factors and aging.
Symptoms include tremor, slowness of movement, stiffness, gait and posture problems. As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen, the patient is likely to experience motor complications. Eventually, the disease impairs the patient's ability to function.
Parkinson's disease affects men and women equally, and an estimated four million people worldwide suffer from the disease. The disease typically occurs at a late age, affecting approx. 1% of the population over the age of 65. In 2006, the worldwide sales for drugs to treat Parkinson's disease reached USD 3.1 billion.
About Lundbeck
H. Lundbeck A/S is an international pharmaceutical company engaged in the research and development, production, marketing and sale of drugs for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. In 2006, the company's revenue was DKK 9.2 billion (approximately EUR 1.2 billion or USD 1.6 billion). The number of employees is approximately 5,300 globally. For further information, please visit www.lundbeck.com.