A new weekly injectable drug could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson’s disease, potentially replacing the need for daily pills.

Scientists from the University of South Australia (UniSA) developed a long-acting injectable formulation that provides two key Parkinson’s medications for an entire week.

There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, which is the second-most common neurological disorder, affecting more than one million Americans, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.

STANFORD SCIENTISTS ‘TOTALLY SURPRISED’ BY POTENTIAL PARKINSON’S TREATMENT DISCOVERY

To manage symptoms like tremors, rigidity and slow movement, patients typically take daily oral medications, such as levodopa and carbidopa, according to the university’s press release.

This method can be especially difficult for individuals who have trouble swallowing or are otherwise unable to take the pills consistently, leading to irregular medication levels, increased side effects and reduced effectiveness.

Levodopa is the “gold-standard therapy for Parkinson’s,” according to lead researcher Professor Sanjay Garg at UniSA, but its short lifespan means it must be taken several times a day.

The researchers tested an injectable gel implant that combines an FDA-approved biodegradable substance with a pH-sensitive substance to achieve a controlled and sustained drug release.

PARKINSON’S PATIENTS WHO TAKE ‘MAGIC MUSHROOMS’ SEE KEY BENEFITS, STUDY FINDS

The gel is injected through a single shot under the skin or into the muscle tissue, which means there’s no need for a surgical implant and discomfort is minimal, they noted.

The team found that the gel gradually released the key Parkinson’s medications (90% of the levodopa drug and 81% of the carbidopa) over the course of one week.

The findings were published in the journal Drug Delivery and Translational Research.

To manage symptoms like tremors, rigidity and slow movement, patients typically take daily oral medications. (iStock)

“Reducing the frequency of dosing from multiple times a day to a weekly injection is a major step forward in Parkinson’s therapy,” Garg said in the release. “We’re not just improving how the drug is delivered; we’re improving patients’ lives.”

Extensive lab tests confirmed the system’s effectiveness and safety.

“We’re not just improving how the drug is delivered; we’re improving patients’ lives.”

The implant degraded by over 80% within a week and showed no significant toxicity in cell viability tests.

“The implications of this research are profound,” Garg added.

Deepa Nakmode, a PhD student at the University of South Australia, noted that this method is designed to release both levodopa and carbidopa steadily over one week, maintaining consistent plasma levels and reducing the risks associated with fluctuating drug concentrations.

“After years of focused research, it’s incredibly rewarding to see our innovation in long-acting injectables for Parkinson’s disease reach this stage,” he said in the release. 

The team’s invention has now been filed for an Australian patent, Nakmode added.

Extensive lab tests confirmed the new medication’s effectiveness and safety, the researchers noted. (iStock)

The technology could also be adapted for other chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, chronic pain and infections that require long-term drug delivery, according to Garg.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The system can be tuned to release drugs over a period ranging from a few days to several weeks, depending on therapeutic needs.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Scientists hope to start clinical trials in the near future and are exploring opportunities to make the gel commercially available.

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

Use escape to exit the menu.

A hidden genetic mutation could predict a man’s likelihood of developing dementia.

That’s according to an Australian study led by Monash and Curtin Universities, which analyzed the medical data of thousands of Australians and Americans.

Men who had a certain variant in the haemochromatosis (HFE) gene — which regulates iron levels in the body — were found to be at a higher risk of dementia, the researchers found.

YOUR LATE-NIGHT TV BINGE COULD SABOTAGE YOUR BRAIN HEALTH, DOCTOR WARNS

Previously healthy men over age 70 who have two copies of the variant, which is known as H63D, are at least twice — or up to four times — as likely to develop dementia. 

Having just one copy did not appear to elevate the risk.

One in 36 men carry two copies of the mutation; one in three have just a single copy.

“It is only men who have two copies of the variant that are at risk,” study co-author Professor John Olynyk from the Curtin Medical School told Fox News Digital. “Women are not affected by the abnormality – we do not know why that is at the current point in time.”

WARDING OFF ALZHEIMER’S MIGHT MEAN MAKING THESE 11 LIFESTYLE CHANGES, EXPERT SAYS

The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, used data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial, which gathered health and aging data for 19,114 healthy older adults.

Those who have the genetic variant can’t change it, but it’s possible that the “brain pathways” it affects could be treated, Olynyk noted.

“It is only men who have two copies of the variant that are at risk,” one of the researchers told Fox News Digital. Women are not affected. (iStock)

“The HFE gene is routinely tested for in most Western countries … when assessing people for haemochromatosis, a disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron,” the doctor said. “Our findings suggest that perhaps this testing could be offered to men more broadly.”

Despite the fact that the HFE gene is responsible for controlling iron levels, the team found no direct link between iron and dementia risk.

“Our findings suggest that perhaps this testing could be offered to men more broadly.”

“This points to other mechanisms at play, possibly involving the increased risk of brain injury from inflammation and cell damage in the body,” Olynyk added.

More research is needed to determine why the heightened risk wasn’t seen in women.

“Understanding why men with the double H63D variant are at higher risk could pave the way for more personalized approaches to prevention and treatment,” added co-author Professor Paul Lacaze from Monash University in a press release.

The main limitation of the study, according to Olynyk, was that the study population was largely composed of Australians.

Previously healthy men over age 70 who have two copies of the variant, which is known as H63D, are at least twice — or up to four times — as likely to develop dementia. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

“Whether other populations exhibit the same effects is unclear,” he told Fox News Digital. “Our work should be repeated in different countries to assess this.”

“Further research will be undertaken to try and determine the likely mechanism by which this anomaly causes dementia and what more we can do to reduce the impact of it.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Beyond this specific mutation, many other genetic and environmental factors can contribute to dementia risk, Olynyk noted. 

“While genetic risk factors cannot be changed, the mechanisms by which these genetic abnormalities and environmental factors cause disease may well be modifiable to some extent, through adopting a healthy lifestyle and being proactive about maintaining an overall good state of health,” he said.

To reduce risk, the researchers recommend adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, minimizing alcohol intake and remaining mentally active. (iStock)

To reduce risk, the researchers recommend adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, minimizing alcohol intake, remaining mentally active, and seeing a doctor to address any medical problem known to increase the likelihood of dementia.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Fiona Stanley Hospital also contributed to the study.