Simvastatin Trialled as a Potential Neuroprotective Treatment for Parkinson’s

Cholesterol-lowering drug Simvastatin is being tested as a potential neuroprotective treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

A new multicentre clinical trial is underway across the UK to assess whether simvastatin, a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug (a statin), can slow progression in people living with Parkinson’s. Led by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, the double-blind, placebo-controlled study will recruit 198 participants who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and are not already taking a statin medication.

The trial will run at 21 centres around the country, including Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. It is part of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust’s Linked Clinical Trials Programme, now in its fourth year, which aims to fast-track therapies that already have established safety records into Parkinson’s clinical testing. Each year an international committee of Parkinson’s experts evaluates candidate compounds that show preclinical or clinical promise for slowing, stopping or reversing the disease and prioritises the most promising for clinical trials.

These linked trials take advantage of medications already used for other conditions—so their safety profiles are well understood—allowing researchers to focus quickly on evidence of disease-modifying effects in Parkinson’s. Previous linked investigations have examined drugs for diabetes and treatments targeting mitochondrial dysfunction, among others, and have progressed into trials at centres across Europe and the United States.

Dr. Camille Carroll, the trial’s chief investigator, commented on the study’s approach and potential: “It is encouraging to see compounds already approved and known to be safe in people being repurposed and rigorously tested for Parkinson’s. There have been few breakthroughs in Parkinson’s treatment for more than 40 years. For the more than 127,000 people living with the condition in the UK, this programme could introduce new and effective options to our clinical toolkit.”

Tom Isaacs, co-founder of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust who has lived with Parkinson’s for 20 years, added: “At CPT we are leaving no stone unturned in the search for treatments that will slow, stop or reverse Parkinson’s. We want to make a meaningful difference to those affected within five years. Findings from a recent simvastatin trial in multiple sclerosis, together with laboratory research into how simvastatin might influence alpha-synuclein aggregation—a hallmark of Parkinson’s—support the rationale for testing this drug as a way to slow disease progression.”

Jon Moulton of the JP Moulton Trust said: “The Moulton Charitable Foundation was pleased to fund the successful simvastatin trial in multiple sclerosis. We hope this trial will demonstrate a clinical benefit for people with Parkinson’s at a modest cost, and we are happy to help part-fund that effort.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition affecting movement, speech and other functions. There is currently no cure, and the reasons why some people develop Parkinson’s remain incompletely understood. In the UK, about one in 500 people—roughly 127,000 individuals—live with Parkinson’s. Globally, estimates range from 10 to 20 million people affected, and that number is expected to rise significantly by 2030. Many cases remain undiagnosed or untreated.

To learn more about the study or to find details of participating centres in the UK, interested individuals are encouraged to contact the trial team via the study website or through their local participating centre.

Participating sites (UK)

• Derriford Hospital (Plymouth) — Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Cornwall Hospital (Truro) — Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Exeter) — Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
• Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton) — Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• Yeovil District Hospital (Yeovil) — Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Christchurch Hospital — The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal United Hospital (Bath) — Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust
• St Peter’s Hospital (Chertsey) — Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Charing Cross Hospital (London) — Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Royal Free Hospital (London) — Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Queen’s Hospital (Romford, Essex) — Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust
• John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford) — Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Luton and Dunstable Hospital — Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Addenbrooke’s Hospital (Cambridge) — Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Salford Royal Hospital (Salford) — Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
• Fairfield General Hospital (Bury) — The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Preston Hospital (Preston) — Lancashire Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
• Leeds General Infirmary (Leeds) — Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Clinical Ageing Research Unit (Newcastle Upon Tyne) — Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• King’s College Hospital (London) — King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Southmead Hospital (Bristol) — North Bristol NHS Trust

Funding: The trial is funded by Plymouth University, the JP Moulton Trust and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust. It will be coordinated by the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit at Plymouth University with support from the NIHR Clinical Research Network for the South West Peninsula.

Source: Andrew Gould – University of Plymouth
Image Source: The image is adapted from the University of Plymouth press release