In short
Dr. Jack Jacobs presented the Parkinson's research at a hospital meeting in Kuwait. The update restated Zhittya's hypothesis that Parkinson's and related conditions may begin with poor blood vessel function in the brain.
The October update opened with a letter from the husband of a participant who had a stroke three days before her first FGF-1 dosing, about nine months earlier. He described changes in her alertness, speech, daily tasks and walking. CEO Dan Montano wrote that she was the second participant with a stroke in the research studies, and that both still had a long way to go.
A large part of this update covered other topics, which are not carried here.
The hypothesis, restated
Mr. Montano set out the idea behind the research in plain terms. "I believe Parkinson's disease and most neurodegenerative diseases are the result of dysfunctional vascular blood flow in the brain," he wrote. In his view, blood vessels become weakened or damaged, and less blood reaches brain cells. He noted that this is already accepted as the cause of stroke, vascular dementia and vascular parkinsonism, and said he believes the same problem is far more widespread.
He offered several supporting points, each tied to outside sources. The first was a presentation from a neuroscience center in Toronto on tiny strokes that go unnoticed but add up over many years. The second was damage to the cells that line blood vessels, covered in Dr. Jacobs's section.
The third was the brain's system for clearing cellular waste, which he said was first described in 2013. He linked this to the earlier monkey study, done by researchers outside Zhittya. In his reading, new blood vessels in those animals brought fresh blood flow that helped carry waste away.
The fourth was a presentation on the so-called "Parkinson's Belt," areas where Parkinson's is more common, in which a research neurologist discussed chemical exposure as a possible cause. Mr. Montano added what he called his own guess: that such chemicals may damage the cells lining blood vessels, leading to leaks and tiny strokes.
Dr. Jacobs on leaky vessels
Dr. Jack Jacobs explained the vessel lining in more detail. Blood vessels are lined with a single layer of endothelial cells, which lets small molecules such as oxygen, water and glucose through but normally holds back blood cells and proteins. If the layer is damaged, leaks can develop. Tissue then gets less blood and is exposed to substances that should never leave the bloodstream.
He wrote that a growing body of evidence suggests such leaks may be an early event in several brain disorders, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Long-lasting vessel problems can also lead to shrinkage of the brain.
He again described a published mouse study of multiple sclerosis, in which a damaged vessel lining appeared well ordered after 30 days of FGF-1. If a similar process is at work in Parkinson's, he wrote, it makes sense to study whether FGF-1 could help there too.
Kuwait, and where things stood
On October 4, Dr. Jacobs spoke on new approaches to Parkinson's at Dar Al Shifa Hospital, which the update called the largest private hospital in Kuwait. The update said the talk was well received.
By October, 188 people with Parkinson's had been dosed. Mr. Montano wrote that some showed large improvement and some less. "Do we have the answer for Parkinson's disease? Probably not yet, but we are improving every month," he wrote.
The first participant scanned at Washington University in St. Louis had since been dosed and was due for a second scan in December. Would it show more blood flow to the substantia nigra, the area tied to Parkinson's? "I do not know today," Mr. Montano wrote, adding that he hoped to have the answer in January 2025.
Two participants' comments were also shared, on tremor, walking, mood, energy and a neurologist's remarks. The rest of the update covered other research areas and company matters.
This summary covers the Parkinson's research in the October 2024 update. The complete update, including the other topics it covered, is below.
Read the complete October 2024 update as published
The text of the update Zhittya sent, word for word. Pictures, charts and layout are in the PDF. Open the PDF.