PRX002, a monoclonal antibody against α-synuclein, is being developed by Prothena in collaboration with Roche. Misfolded and aggregated α-synuclein is strongly implicated in Parkinson’s disease. The protein is believed to spread among neurons in the brain, driving disease progression.

Current treatments for PD only address symptoms, such as motor impairment and psychosis; none modifies the disease course. If ongoing trials of PRX002/RG7935 are successful, patients with PD who are diagnosed early could benefit from a treatment that may prevent the neurodegeneration associated with α-synuclein misfolding and/or cell-to-cell transmission.