Patient enrollment begins in study of novel light therapy for Parkinson’s disease

The first 100 patients have been enrolled in a clinical trial investigating a novel light therapy device intended to treat individuals with Parkinson’s disease, according to the manufacturer.

In a company press release, PhotoPharmics said it will examine its Celeste device, which was previously granted FDA breakthrough designation, in the Light for PD study, which is expected to enroll 300 people.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will be conducted by the University of Rochester’s Center for Health + Technology.

Celeste passively delivers specific wavelengths of light to the eye with the goal of improving function and quality of life for those affected by Parkinson’s, according to the release.

Enrollees are expected to use the Celeste device within their own homes for 1 hour per day when doing activities like reading, eating or watching TV.

The study’s primary endpoints are improvements in overall quality of life, motor function, sleep quality, mood and cognition, evaluated by clinical scales and patient-reported outcomes.

“We are thrilled to reach this important milestone,” PhotoPharmics CEO Kent Savage said in the release. “We are grateful for the team at the University of Rochester’s Center for Health + Technology (CHeT) and the movement disorder neurologists across the country who are enrolling and caring for trial participants. We believe our passive and non-invasive specialized phototherapy device will provide substantial benefits to those affected by this debilitating disease.”