IRLAB Therapeutics AB announced that a drug candidate has been nominated from the P003 research project. The drug candidate, IRL1117, will be developed as a once-daily oral treatment for the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's without inducing the troublesome complications caused by today's mainstay anti-Parkinson's levodopa treatments. Initiation of development towards clinical studies has commenced and IRL1117 is expected to start Phase I studies in 2024.

At present, people with Parkinson's disease are prescribed the anti-Parkinson's treatment levodopa treating the hallmark symptoms of tremor, rigidity, and slowness of movement. Levodopa has been the mainstay treatment of Parkinson's since the 1960s and is currently the only medication that provides adequate symptomatic relief of the disease during its progression. Levodopa has, however, significant treatment-related limitations, especially the short duration of action and the occurrence of troublesome treatment-related complications such as excessive involuntary movements (dyskinesia, PD-LIDs).

By comparison, IRL1117 offers a clearly differentiating alternative being orally available, potent and displaying a long-duration anti-parkinsonian efficacy without inducing the troublesome complications during long-term treatment.