Parkinson’s Awareness Month may end, but the research imperative continues

As Parkinson’s Awareness Month comes to a close, the urgency to challenge the status quo has never been greater.

With nearly 10 million people worldwide living with Parkinson’s, a number that has risen over the past 25 years, it’s clear the impact of this disease is widespread. For me, that impact became deeply personal when my mother was diagnosed with the disease at age 53. Hers was an aggressive form, and sadly we lost her just seven years later. This connection has shaped my motivation and professional focus, reinforcing the need to pursue research that aspires to make a meaningful difference for people living with this progressive neurodegenerative condition.

In my role at AskBio, I focus on how Parkinson’s research moves from scientific ideas into studies that may potentially deliver a new treatment alternative for this disease. With no current cure or treatment that slows disease progression, the need for new approaches to Parkinson’s remains clear.

Why targeting the root cause has remained elusive, and what is changing

Despite ongoing research efforts, significant challenges persist. We hear time and again from people living with Parkinson’s that, while some treatments can help manage symptoms, the disease continues to progress and eventually catches up. Over time, many need to take more medication, which can further affect their lives.

Parkinson’s is also known for unpredictability. Symptoms can fluctuate day to day, responses to therapies may change, and daily function is not always reliable. This uncertainty can be as challenging as the symptoms themselves.

Meeting these needs requires research that goes beyond small improvements to existing treatments and instead delivers meaningful change in Parkinson’s outcomes.

Even so, I believe there are growing reasons for cautious optimism. Advances in molecular neuroscience, gene delivery, imaging, biomarkers, and clinical trial design are enabling researchers to investigate disease pathways in more targeted ways.

While these developments do not simplify the complexity of Parkinson’s, they do allow questions to be explored that were previously out of reach.

A turning point in Parkinson’s research

What’s next in Parkinson’s clinical innovation is being shaped by a growing body of research. AskBio and others in the field are contributing to this investigational research, including studies evaluating the potential of gene therapy approaches to impact disease progression.

While this research is still evolving, it signals a shift in how Parkinson’s is being understood and studied. For me, this is what makes it such an important time, seeing scientific progress begin to translate into real clinical questions that could help shape future approaches to Parkinson’s care.

Realising this potential, however, depends on rigorous clinical evaluation. Every investigational approach must be tested through well-designed trials, and that progress relies on the participation of people living with Parkinson’s. Ensuring broad and representative participation will remain essential to advancing our understanding of the disease and evaluating potential new approaches. Without this partnership, progress would not be possible.

As Parkinson’s Awareness Month comes to an end, the need to continue asking harder questions, and pursuing rigorous research, does not. It is good to have awareness, but progress depends on sustained commitment, careful science, and the continued partnership of the Parkinson’s community at every stage of that journey.

AskBio is conducting investigational research in Parkinson’s disease. Any therapies referenced are investigational, have not been approved by regulatory authorities, and their safety and efficacy have not been established. Individual outcomes discussed do not represent treatment results.

About the author

Adrian Kells, PhD, is senior vice president at AskBio. With a background in neuroscience and gene therapy, he focuses on investigating innovative approaches into potential new treatment options.