A 24 month Knowledge Transfer Partnership project between WIPH Preventive Neurology Unit researchers and industry partner, Charco Neurotech, will test the feasibility of CUE1, a novel medical device to relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The Innovate-UK funded project will investigate the tolerability of the device and its effect on clinical outcome measures, assessing optimal stimulation settings and positioning in patients with Parkinson’s, with a goal to design a formal clinical trial.
Parkinson's may be the fastest growing degenerative condition of the nervous system worldwide, with progressive deterioration in movement the most recognisable feature. Drug treatment administered multiple times per day can manage this symptom but over time symptom control is reduced, rendering the patient either immobile or suffering from excessive involuntary movement, and causing significant disability and poor life quality. The CUE1 device, worn on the sternum, uses vibrations and external sensory cues to reduce balance problems, falls, and involuntary muscle movements, and to improve dexterity. Efficacy and tolerability need to be demonstrated in a clinical setting before the device can be widely 'prescribed', and Preventive Neurology Unit clinical expertise will shape the design of an intervention study to assess the real clinical effects.
WIPH Knowledge Base team Alastair Noyce and Cristina Simonet said: “We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with Charco Neurotech and investigate the role that the CUE1 device has in treating challenging symptoms of Parkinson’s. We know that it is beautifully designed and has yielded benefits for some patients, but now it is time to investigate just how much it can offer to a wider group with Parkinson’s.”
The team is now beginning their search for a KTP associate to work across the company and the University. Interested health professionals please contact Dr Alastair Noyce, Dr Cristina Simonet, or Charco.