Sinopia Biosciences’ SB-0110 Targeted as Potential New Parkinson’s Treatment

Sinopia Biosciences Develops SB-0110 to Improve Parkinson’s Treatment

Addressing the Limits of Levodopa Therapy

For millions of people living with Parkinson’s disease, levodopa—commonly referred to as L-dopa—remains the most effective treatment for restoring movement and improving quality of life. Yet, the treatment’s long-term utility is often undermined by two primary clinical hurdles: the return of symptoms between doses and the development of dyskinesia, which manifests as erratic, involuntary movements. Amantadine is currently the only approved drug to treat dyskinesia induced by levodopa, but its psychiatric and vascular side effects significantly limit its use.

According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease has doubled globally over the past 25 years, reaching more than 8.5 million people by 2019. The clinical reality for these patients is stark: after approximately nine years of levodopa treatment, roughly 70 percent of patients face motor fluctuations, and about 90 percent experience dyskinesia. Furthermore, within five years of treatment, about 40% of patients develop dyskinesia.

Virtually every Parkinson’s patient takes levodopa, said UC San Diego alumnus Aarash Bordbar, chief executive officer, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Sinopia Biosciences. “But patients face two major problems with the drug: the reappearance of Parkinson’s symptoms and dyskinesia. There is no drug that can be added to levodopa to address both simultaneously in a robust manner, and that’s what our drug candidate is doing.”

Aarash Bordbar and Bernhard Palsson Utilize Computational Pharmacology

Computational Biology and the Development of SB-0110

The development of SB-0110 stems from a computational approach to pharmacology. Founded in 2014 by Bordbar and Professor Bernhard Palsson, Sinopia Biosciences focuses on identifying drug candidates by combining large biological datasets with biochemical analysis. Palsson is the Y.C. Fung Endowed Professor of Bioengineering at the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering (Jacobs School of Engineering), a Qualcomm Institute affiliate, and a professor of pediatrics. The company’s approach seeks to identify compounds that preserve the beneficial gene activity associated with levodopa while counteracting the biological changes linked to dyskinesia.

The team analyzed transcriptomics data to understand how levodopa changes gene expression patterns in the striatum, a brain region involved in movement control. These results were compared with a dataset of gene expression changes induced by existing drugs. The compound is based on an older heart medication previously used outside the United States, giving researchers greater confidence in its safety profile. It also targets PKA-II, a signaling pathway in the brain involved in movement and dopamine responses.

Maximizing clinical benefits of therapeutics while minimizing adverse effects is a central challenge in drug development, said Bordbar. By focusing on the pharmacology of an effective drug rather than disease biology alone, the approach prioritizes pathways with demonstrated clinical relevance, increasing translational potential.

Preclinical Studies Demonstrate PKA-II Pathway Modulation

Preclinical Success and Research Goals

In preclinical studies, SB-0110 boosted L-dopa’s benefits while reducing dyskinetic side effects in animal models. The research brought together expertise from UC San Diego to evaluate how the drug candidate could address the unmet needs of Parkinson’s patients. By using computer modeling, the researchers identified that the candidate could preserve beneficial gene activity while opposing the specific transcriptional programs linked to dyskinesia.

Readers should note that these findings are based on preclinical research. While the results suggest that SB-0110 could address both the return of symptoms and dyskinesia simultaneously, the efficacy and safety of this approach in human populations remain to be established through formal clinical trials. Patients interested in new treatment options or clinical trial participation should consult with their neurologists or qualified medical professionals to discuss their specific care plans and the current landscape of Parkinson’s research.

Sources: Drugtargetreview, Inside Precision Medicine.