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For millions living with Parkinson’s disease, daily life is shaped not only by tremors, stiffness, or slowness of movement, but also by the exhausting burden of multiple pills that must be taken each day. Remembering, swallowing, and timing these tablets correctly becomes harder as the condition progresses, often leaving patients and caregivers stressed and overwhelmed. managing Parkinson’s
It is this challenge that inspired Adelaide-based researcher Deepa Nakmode, along with Prof Sanjay Garg at the University of South Australia, to explore a new approach: a once-a-week injection that steadily releases medication, replacing the need for dozens of tablets every week.
“Many people in Australia are living with Parkinson’s disease, which is the second most common neurodegenerative condition,” Nakmode told Indian Link. “We focused on commonly used drugs, but since their doses are high, they can’t be sustained for much longer than a week. That’s why the idea of a weekly injection was developed.”
Unlike daily tablets that provide quick but short-lived relief, this injection is designed to deliver medication gradually and consistently for seven days. “With the weekly injection, the medicine is designed to release steadily in the body, so one dose lasts the whole week, making treatment easier and more reliable,” Nakmode explained.
For patients and their families, that reliability of managing Parkinson’s could be life-changing. “Parkinson’s affects simple daily activities, such as walking, eating, writing, or even remembering to take medicines on time,” Nakmode said. “Our weekly injection aims to ease that burden by providing steady symptom control with just one dose a week, helping patients focus more on living their lives rather than managing their medication schedule.”
How it will work
The injection itself, she reassures, would feel much like a routine vaccination, with only mild and brief discomfort at the site. “Safety is always our top priority. We use drugs that are already well studied, and the main difference is the delivery method. As with any injection, there can be minor side effects like redness or soreness, but serious risks are very low.”
For caregivers, the benefit in this method of managing Parkinson’s could be equally profound. “This treatment could greatly reduce the daily stress of managing multiple pills,” Nakmode said. “For caregivers, it means less worry about missed doses and more time to focus on supporting their loved one’s quality of life.”
Conversations with patients and caregivers have been encouraging. “Many shared how challenging it is to keep up with daily medications, and they felt that a weekly injection could make life much simpler and less stressful,” she noted.
‘Burden of Parkinson’s is growing’
While the innovation is still at the preclinical stage, Nakmode and her team are mindful of cost. “Affordability and accessibility are at the heart of this work,” she emphasised. “Our long-term aim is to keep it cost-effective so it can reach people everywhere, including countries like India, where the burden of Parkinson’s is growing.”
For the unversed, the WHO’s 2022 data reports that over 8.5 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease. In Australia, Parkinson’s affects around 100,000 people, according to Parkinson’s Australia. In India, estimates suggest ~700,000–1 million patients, though underdiagnosis means the true number could be higher.
The timeline for delivering injections, however, requires patience, Nakmode said. “Realistically, it could take 5–8 years before patients benefit from this treatment. Clinical trials require significant time, funding, and rigorous testing to ensure safety and effectiveness before it can be widely available.”
Beyond managing Parkinson’s, Nakmode sees potential for this technology to be adapted for other chronic conditions that require frequent medication, such as diabetes or heart disease. “Our dream outcome over the next 10 years is to see this approach widely available, improving the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers, and paving the way for similar innovations in other chronic diseases.”
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