Parkinson’s Drug Market receives Infusion Of Cash

(Springfield, GA)—A San Diego drug maker is hoping an infusion of research capital will allow it to continue its work in searching for Parkinson’s disease treatments.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals, which hopes its drug, pimavanserin, will treat Parkinson’s-related psychosis, recently received $30 million from Canadian pharmaceuticals company Biovail Corp. in a deal that could see additional investment should the drug succeed during current trials. According to one Parkinson’s advocate, even more should be done.

“While increased research money from pharmaceutical companies is great,” says author and advocate Kay Mixson Jenkins, “we need more federal support and a greater push from the leaders at the state level to fund research.”

Ms. Jenkins is the author of Who Is Pee Dee? Explaining Parkinson’s Disease to a Child, which tells the story of a young boy named Colt, who is trying to deal with his mother’s illness. Colt is helped by his toy bear, Pee Dee.

“I hope that the book builds awareness of how Parkinson’s affects families all over the world,” says Ms. Jenkins. “Maybe that exposure will create a push from the public for more funding.”

Ms. Jenkins, a longtime advocate for Parkinson’s research and the founder of the non-profit organization Parkinson’s in the Park, uses Who Is Pee Dee? to illustrate the following:

• Without medications like those being tested by Acadia, parents with Parkinson’s are sometimes unable to parent.
• Parkinson’s patients suffer from the side effects of these medications.
• Parkinson’s patients need love and support in addition to medication.
• Parkinson’s affects everyone around the patient.

“I hope that companies like Acadia can deliver on their potential,” says Ms. Jenkins.

For more information, contact the author directly via kmj@ParkinsonsInThePark.org.

(Who Is Pee Dee? Explaining Parkinson’s Disease to a Child by Kay Mixson Jenkins; illustrated by Richard Morgan; ISBN: 978-0-9819129-0-5; $12.95; 33 pages; 8” x 8”; hardcover; UCB, Inc.)

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