NeurologyLive® Year in Review 2024: Top Stories in Movement Disorders

In 2024, the NeurologyLive® team worked tirelessly to deliver the latest clinical news and data across a wide range of neurology subspecialties. From groundbreaking study results and FDA approvals to insightful conference coverage and expert interviews, the website consistently featured the most relevant updates in the field.

A major area of focus was movement disorders, a field that continues to see significant advancements. While headline-making news often draws the most attention, smaller stories can also rise to prominence due to their clinical impact, relevance, or broader implications for care. These stories collectively reflect the evolving themes and challenges in this specialty over the past year.

Here, we spotlight some of the most-read NeurologyLive® content from 2024. Click below to dive deeper into each story.

1. FDA Approves AbbVie’s 24-Hour Foscarbidopa/Foslevodopa Pump for Advanced Parkinson Disease Treatment

The FDA approved AbbVie’s foscarbidopa/foslevodopa, marketed as Vyalev, as the first and only subcutaneous 24-hour infusion of levodopa-based therapy for the treatment of motor fluctuations in adults with advanced Parkinson disease (PD). The company noted that timing for a patient's access to the therapy is dependent on their individual insurance plan, with coverage for Medicare patients expected in the second half of 2025.

2. Sage Therapeutics and Biogen Officially Announce Ending of SAGE-324 Program in Essential Tremor

Months after negative topline data was announced from the phase 2 KINETIC 2 study (NCT05173012) of SAGE-324 in essential tremor (ET), Biogen has officially terminated its rights under the collaboration and license agreement with Sage regarding the therapy’s program. The two companies will continue to partner on zuranolone (Zurzuvae), the first and only FDA-approved oral treatment for women with postpartum depression.

3. Tavapadon Meets Primary and Secondary End Points in Phase 3 TEMPO-2 Trial for Early Parkinson Disease

topline results from AbbVie’s pivotal phase 3 TEMPO-2 trial assessing investigational tavapadon as a flexible-dose monotherapy revealed that the treatment met its primary and secondary end point among patients with early Parkinson disease (PD). The company noted full results from the trial will be submitted for presentation at a future medical meeting and that it is on track to submit the new drug application to the FDA in 2025.

4. A-Synuclein Antibody Lu AF82422 Shows Disease-Modifying Potential in Phase 2 AMULET Trial of MSA

In the phase 2 AMULET trial (NCT05104476), an ongoing study of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA), Lundbeck’s Lu AF82422 did not achieve its primary end point of statistically slowing disease progression against placebo; however, the signal of efficacy was more pronounced in a less impaired population of patients with MSA. Investigators concluded that the totality of evidence supports further development of Lu AF82422, an anti-alpha-synuclein (α-syn) antibody, in a phase 3 trial of MSA.

5. FDA Supports Alpha-Synuclein Seed Amplification Assay Biomarker for Clinical Trials in Parkinson Disease

The FDA issued a letter of support for using the α-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) biomarker in clinical trials for Parkinson disease (PD) and related diseases. This decision comes following a multi-stakeholder collaboration between The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) and the Critical Path Institute (C-Path) to advance PD therapeutics using this recently discovered biomarker.

6. FDA Approves Carbidopa/Levodopa ER Capsules Formulation IPX203 for Parkinson Disease

The FDA approved Amneal Pharmaceuticals’ investigational agent IPX203, an oral formulation of carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) extended-release capsules, as a treatment for patients with Parkinson disease (PD), according to an announcement from the company. Marketed as Crexont, the therapy is an oral formulation CD/LD which includes immediate-release (IR) granules as well as extended-release (ER) pellets.

7. Buntanetap Improves Motor, Nonmotor and Cognitive Symptoms of Parkinson Disease in Phase 3 Study

Announced data from a phase 3 study (NCT05357989) of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) showed that treatment with investigational buntanetap was safe and well tolerated, with noted improvements in motor and nonmotor activities, as well as cognitive function. Buntanetap, formerly known as Posiphen or ANVS401, targets neurodegeneration by inhibiting amyloid-ß, tau, alpha-synuclein, and TDP-43.

8. FDA Approves One Pill, Once-Daily Tablets of Deutetrabenazine for Tardive Dyskinesia, Chorea

The FDA approved a new one-pill, once-daily tablet administration option for deutetrabenazine (Austedo XR; Teva Pharmaceuticals), a medication for tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease (HD). Deutetrabenazine, a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, is now available in 4 tablet strengths (30, 36, 42, and 48 mg), adding on to its original dosing options of 6 mg, 12 mg, and 24 mg.

9. Positive Interim Phase 2 Data Reported for Multiple System Atrophy Agent ATH434

data from a phase 2 open-label study (NCT05864365) showed that treatment with investigational ATH434 (Alterity Therapeutucs) was safe, with noted improvements in disability and biomarker assessments after 6 months in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). Final, 12-month data from the trial are expected in the first half of 2025.

10. Gene Therapy RGX-121 Demonstrates Promising Results in Pivotal CAMPSIITE Trial of Hunter Syndrome

New data from the phase 1/2/3 CAMPSIITE trial (NCT03566043) showed that treatment with RGX-121 (REGENXBIO), an investigational gene therapy, resulted in critical reductions in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of heparan sulfate (HS) D2S6, a key biomarker of brain disease activity, in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), also known as Hunter syndrome. Overall, the totality of the evidence from the study supports RGX-121 as the potential first gene therapy for this patient population.