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Parkinson’s disease

Our goal is to slow or stop disease progression in people with Parkinson’s disease by targeting the underlying cause of the disease.

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Challenge

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disease that can have a devastating impact on those affected and their loved ones. It is the fastest growing neurological disease and more than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease today.1,2 

Parkinson’s disease is a complex disease associated with both motor and non-motor symptoms that cause disability and impact quality of life. Symptoms can vary widely between individuals and disease progression is not predictable, in which symptoms can develop gradually over time or suddenly. Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is late in the disease course and currently based only on motor symptoms, with non-motor symptoms often preceding diagnosis by up to 20 years.

Parkinson's disease begins long before its first visible signs. By the time motor symptoms appear, up to a third of dopamine-producing cells are already lost and others are failing, highlighting the urgent need for earlier diagnostics and therapies that actually slow or stop the disease in its tracks.3 Currently, there are no such treatment options approved for Parkinson’s disease.  

Focus

Roche has helped thousands of individuals living with Parkinson’s disease over the past 50 years. We remain committed to evaluating multiple approaches that could potentially slow or stop disease progression and disability in people with Parkinson’s disease by developing treatments that target the underlying biology and drivers of neurodegeneration. 

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