Clinical Development of OXB-102

Parkinson's disease is caused by the degeneration of nerve cells in part of the brain; leading to the loss of dopamine, a chemical messenger which plays a vital role in coordinating body movement. In early stages of PD, oral levadopa (L-DOPA) medication is effective in managing the symptoms that include tremor, muscle stiffness and slow physical movement. However, the body progressively loses its ability to convert L-DOPA to dopamine thereby reducing its effectiveness and leading to the development of uncontrolled motor function. Oxford BioMedica has developed a 'once-only' gene therapy approach to treat individuals with PD called OXB-102 that is administered once to the target region in the brain where it converts cells into a replacement dopamine factory. In essence, OXB-102 replaces a patient’s own lost source of the neurotransmitter analogous to the natural dopamine supply in the absence of PD.