We have been waiting for this great news. At long last an effective treatment is demonstrated for a small group of HD patients. Larger trials will follow. There is confidence that EPA will be approved for the treatment of HD
EPA is a poly-unsaturated fat found in cold water fish. Fish oil containing EPA is sold as a food supplement. (link) --Jerry 11-May-2001
Abstract presented at the 10th Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia,
Davos, Switzerland, February 2000; Puri BK, et al.
| "Laxdale Ltd are very pleased with the results of the trial investigating the effects of ethyl eicosapentaenoate (EPA) in Huntington's disease, although this study was in only a small number of patients. However, we obtained similar results in transgenic mice with Huntington's disease and we are optimistic about the role that EPA may play in treatment this illness.", Crispin Bennett PhD, Research Information Manager |
Huntington's disease is a devastating illness caused by over-expression of the protein huntingtin. The mechanism of the damage is unknown. There is evidence of increased membrane breakdown and oxidative damage to neurons. This may be associated with excess activity of phospholipase (PL) A2. The disease causes psychotic behaviour, movement disorders, memory loss and dementia. There are no known treatments.
Eicosapenaenoic acid (EPA) is an inhibitor of PLA2, A randomised, placebo-controlled double-blind trial of 2g/day of the 97% pure ethyl ester of EPA was performed over a six month period in patients with end-stage Huntington's disease.
The overall condition of each patient was assessed on the Unified Huntinngton's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and the brain of each patient at the beginning and end of the study was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Eight patients entered the study but one died prior to randomisation.
At the end of the study, four patients were rated as deteriorated and three as improved. The four patients who deteriorated were on placebo while the three who improved were on ethyl EPA(p<0.04, Fisher's exact test).
All patients had MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study but, because of the movement disorders, the before and after pairs were evaluable in only four patients. In the two patients on placebo, ventricular size had increased, indicating disease progression. In contrast, in the two patients on ethyl-EPA ventricular size decreased consistent with some recovery of brain mass.
Ethyl-EPA is the first treatment shown to be beneficial in Huntington's disease in a placebo-controlled study.