Researchers develop possible Parkinson's treatment
TOKYO, Oct 26, 2000 (Reuters) - A group of Japanese scientists announced
on Thursday they had made a breakthrough in ways to replace and repair
diseased organs and tissues that could help sufferers of Parkinson's
disease.
Researchers from Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co Ltd., a leader in Japan's
budding biotechnology business, Kyoto University and the Institute of
Physical and Chemical Research said in a joint statement they had
succeeded in creating a sufficient amount of dopamine--a substance
without which nerve cells cannot transmit messages--while conducting
experiments on mice.
Shares in Kyowa Hakko rose more than 6% on Thursday to close at
909 yen.
Dopamine production and its transfer to patients is seen as crucial in
the treatment of Parkinson's, but until now a reliable method of
extracting
dopamine from nerve cells had not been found, the statement said.
The researchers, who will be filing for a patent, believe the new
technique could be successfully applied to the treatment of Parkinson's
disease.
Parkinson's affects approximately two out of every 1,000 people and
most often develops after the age of 50. It affects both men and women
and is one of the most common neurologic disorders of the elderly.
Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited.
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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