The NET-PD project is a collaborative effort including NINDS and approximately 50 other sites in North America to conduct clinical trials aimed at developing agents to prevent progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Two futility studies (FS1, FS-TOO) of four compounds (coenzyme 010, creatine, GPI-1485, and minocycline) were completed in the initial stages of this project, leading to the ongoing LS1 study of creatine versus placebo. A third futility trial (FS-ZONE) has also been initiated comparing pioglitazone versus placebo. The LS1 study is expected to be completed in 2015, and the FS-ZONE study is expected to be completed in 2014. It is hoped that these trials will demonstrate pharmacologic benefits in both motor and non-motor features of PD, and additional knowledge will be gained about clinical trial development and PD in general.
Short-term clinical management of early-stage PD (first 2-5 years after symptom onset) has been generally straightforward and beneficial. However, after this initial period of benefit, most patients begin to experience fluctuations in response to treatment. Efforts to prevent this manifestation of disease progression have been generally unsuccessful. The NET-PD project aims to coordinate a multicenter program to develop treatments to address disease progression in PD.