The Parkinson’s Treatment Landscape: Progressing Too Slowly for an Expanding Patient Base

Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is emerging as a significant health challenge in the United States and globally, primarily due to an aging population. This condition, characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, muscle rigidity, and slowed movement, along with numerous non-motor symptoms, reduces quality of life and affects independence. According to DelveInsight’s analysis, more than 1 million people in the United States alone are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, with nearly 3 million patients across the seven major markets, including the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Japan. This widespread impact highlights pressing gaps in diagnostics and treatment.

Current Parkinson’s disease treatment market landscape

The present-day situation poses a paradox revealing a troubling reality: as the number of patients and the demand for improved treatments increase, progress in Parkinson’s disease innovation has slowed. Why is advancement lagging despite the clear and growing need for effective solutions?

Read our blog and find out How close are we to a Cure for Parkinson’s disease

Despite various advancements, Parkinson’s disease still lacks a cure. Existing therapies are predominantly designed as palliative treatments that often bring significant side effects, including hallucinations and cognitive impairment, which make long-term treatment challenging. Additionally, the absence of reliable diagnostic tools for early detection adds to the difficulty, as Parkinson’s symptoms are often confused with other neurodegenerative conditions, such as multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies, and progressive supranuclear palsy. These overlapping symptoms often lead to misdiagnoses, delaying effective treatment and negatively affecting patient outcomes.

Barriers to progress in the Parkinson’s disease therapeutics market

As per DelveInsight analysis, one primary obstacle is the lack of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) or curative therapies. While recent advancements have introduced new symptomatic treatments and devices, they do not address disease progression. Many ongoing therapies focus on alleviating symptoms rather than slowing the disease’s progression. Furthermore, if new therapies do not significantly improve upon existing options, market differentiation may be limited. The increasing use of off-label treatments also influences market share and profitability, ultimately affecting overall revenue.

Additionally, despite growing awareness, the persistent social stigma surrounding Parkinson’s disease remains a significant barrier to progress in both patient well-being and treatment adoption. This stigma often leads to isolation, delays in seeking care, and reluctance to pursue available therapies, hindering optimal treatment outcomes. Addressing these societal challenges is crucial for enhancing patient engagement and ensuring that advancements in the market translate into a better quality of life for those affected by the disease.

Another major hurdle in advancing new therapies for Parkinson’s disease lies in navigating the complex regulatory landscape. Why do so many promising therapies face significant delays on their path to approval? The approval process demands rigorous proof of safety and efficacy, a requirement that can discourage companies from pursuing innovative treatments. Supernus Pharmaceuticals offers a recent example: after over two years of persistence and regulatory setbacks, including the issuance of Complete Response Letters (CRLs), the FDA finally accepted their New Drug Application for SPN-830 in August 2024.

Such regulatory challenges might be due to the intricate nature of Parkinson’s itself. Researchers continue to investigate its cellular and molecular roots, but the disease’s complexity makes it difficult to pinpoint precise therapeutic targets, slowing down drug discovery and development efforts. The result is a slow-paced pipeline, as companies must grapple not only with scientific unknowns but also with the high-stakes regulatory environment before bringing novel treatments to patients.

Existing Parkinson’s disease treatment strategies

The current Parkinson’s disease market was valued at nearly USD 3 billion in 2023 across the 7MM, with the United States accounting for the largest share.

However, navigating Parkinson’s disease treatment often centers around one mainstay: levodopa. Levodopa has been a crucial part of Parkinson’s treatment since its introduction, known as the “gold standard” for managing motor symptoms. However, what makes levodopa so vital, and why has not a new, more advanced therapy replaced it? All these questions still circle the paradigm of Parkinson’s disease. Despite its widespread use, levodopa’s limitations, particularly the risk of severe side effects, highlight a pressing need for innovative solutions in Parkinson’s care.

For many, Levodopa is the most effective way to manage symptoms, especially early in the disease. But, the reality is more complex as patients rely on levodopa over the years, and adverse effects can surface. Hallucinations and confusion, especially in elderly patients or those with cognitive challenges, complicate treatment. Moreover, as per our secondary analysis, after four to six years on levodopa, nearly 40% of patients experience motor fluctuations, a significant hurdle in long-term management. These side effects often push doctors to explore alternative treatments, such as dopamine-receptor agonists, which activate dopamine receptors directly without converting to dopamine.

Combination and other therapies currently hold a dominant position in the market. The promising trajectory of these therapies is largely driven by their capacity to address the complexity of Parkinson’s through a multi-targeted approach. By leveraging synergistic effects, combination therapies provide enhanced efficacy and flexibility across a variety of diseases, making them especially appealing in managing multifaceted health issues. This trend underscores a growing industry focus on innovative treatments, highlighting combination therapies as a key area for future therapeutic and commercial developments.

Additionally, several dopamine agonists are on the market, including brands like Requip, Mirapex, and Apokyn, which are now available in generic forms. In addition, with generic versions prevalent, they lack the novelty that might offer breakthroughs for patients needing more durable, tolerable options.

The Parkinson’s market offers numerous approved Parkinson’s disease therapies, including generics that have been available for over a decade. In August 2024, the US FDA approved CREXONT, an extended-release formulation of carbidopa and levodopa for Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, Amneal Pharmaceuticals ensures that eligible patients can access prescription coverage through the Amneal Patient Assistance Program. At the same time, CoverMyMeds streamlines prior authorization for healthcare providers and pharmacists to improve patient access.

Similarly, in October 2024, the US FDA approved VYALEV (foscarbidopa and foslevodopa) as the first and only subcutaneous 24-hour continuous infusion therapy for motor fluctuations in adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease. VYALEV demonstrated superior improvement in “on” time without troublesome dyskinesia compared to oral immediate-release carbidopa/levodopa. 

This therapy also offers personalized dosing throughout the day, addressing the progressive nature of Parkinson’s disease, where oral medications often become ineffective. However, it is worth noting that VYALEV is a combination therapy that includes levodopa, a well-established treatment with no novel molecules, which limits its potential to bring groundbreaking innovation to the market.

Despite the presence of several approved Parkinson’s disease therapies across the 7MM, current treatment options for Parkinson’s disease still fall short of providing comprehensive efficacy. As the market for Parkinson’s disease treatment continues to expand, these unmet needs highlight the urgent demand for innovative therapies that address both symptom management and disease progression holistically.

So, the question remains why has not a newer, more targeted therapy emerged? As the field advances, the need for innovative therapies that go beyond symptom relief creates an opportunity for researchers and pharmaceutical companies to redefine Parkinson’s treatment.

Dive deep to understand more about the Most Promising Therapies in the Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Market

Future of Parkinson’s therapy

The Parkinson’s disease therapeutics market is seeing a dynamic pipeline with numerous competitors developing innovative treatments. Several companies are advancing novel drug candidates, such as Translational Inhibitors of Neurotoxic Aggregating Proteins (TINAPs) and Sigma-1 Receptor (SIGMAR1) agonists, which have the potential to address unmet needs. Industry leaders like Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Cerevel Therapeutics, LLC, and Pharma Two B, among others, are poised to lead the market during the forecast period (2025–2034), given their early-stage advancements and promising therapies, positioning them to secure a competitive edge over others in this evolving landscape.

Among the leading Parkinson’s disease drug candidates in development, Solengepras (CVN424), a dopamine D2 receptor modulator, is expected to potentially secure a significant share of the total Parkinson’s market across the 7MM by 2034. On the other hand, UCB0599, developed by UCB Biopharma and Novartis, is anticipated to enter the market by 2028.

A comprehensive assessment of emerging drug assets in the pipeline for Parkinson’s disease, along with detailed analyses, is available in the final report provided by DelveInsight. This report covers anticipated drug candidates and projected launch timelines and provides in-depth analytical insights into each asset’s potential impact on the market.

Market reaction and future prospects of Parkinson’s disease treatment

Despite significant progress in Parkinson’s disease treatment, critical unfulfilled gaps continue. There is an urgent demand for therapies that go beyond symptom management to slow disease progression actively. Recognizing the problem leading industry players are heavily investing in innovative research and advancing novel drug candidates targeting cellular pathways involved in neurodegeneration.

Moreover, opportunities are also emerging through strategic collaborations. In February 2024, for instance, Amneal Pharmaceuticals entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Zambon Biotech SA for IPX203 in the EU, UK, and Switzerland. This partnership not only aims to introduce new therapeutic options to the European markets but also highlights the value of collaborative efforts in expanding research scope and accessibility. 

Similarly, in January 2025 at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPM25), Johnson & Johnson revealed a definitive agreement to acquire Intra-Cellular Therapies. Intra-Cellular Therapies specializes in developing and marketing treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. Such partnerships, acquisitions, and licensing agreements could accelerate development, enabling innovative treatments to reach patients more rapidly.

In parallel, companies are exploring combination therapies and new formulations to improve treatment efficacy and consistency. Through ongoing collaborations and a strengthened clinical pipeline, the industry is moving towards holistic solutions and is poised for substantial growth by 2034.