The information you provide will be kept confidential.
If you prequalify and give your permission, your information will be forwarded to a member of the study team. They will contact you to discuss more information about participation.
What started with a slight hand tremor or unsteadiness while walking turned into a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. Your doctor may have discussed treatment options, but you have not started taking any medication.
About the Luma Study
The LUMA Study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of a study medication, as compared to a placebo, to see if it may delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease in people who are in the early stage of their condition. It is thought that investigational medications, such as the study drug, may be most effective in the early stages of disease. Participating in a research study before receiving other treatment may be a good option for you.
How Does the Study Drug Work?
Abnormal activity of the LRRK2 gene is often seen in people with Parkinson's disease.1 This abnormal activity results in production of a highly active protein called leucine-rich repeat kinase.2 The investigational drug is an LRRK2 inhibitor, meaning that it aims to slow down or inhibit the production of this highly active protein. Buildup of this protein is thought to cause damage in cells, resulting in development of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. The LUMA study is enrolling people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within the last two years to determine if early use of an LRRK2 inhibitor may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.
Do I Qualify?
You may be eligible to participate in the LUMA Study if you:*
Are 30 to 80 years old
Were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within the last 2 years and were at least 30 years old when you were diagnosed
Have never been treated with Parkinson's disease medications
Other eligibility criteria apply
*The study doctor(s) and their team can meet with you to discuss further details and questions you may have about the study.
The information you provide will be kept confidential.
If you prequalify and give your permission, your information will be forwarded to a member of the study team. They will contact you to discuss more information about participation.
Why Participate?
If you qualify and decide to take part, you will receive:
All study-related care and study medication at no charge
Regular monitoring of your symptoms and health by doctors who specialise in Parkinson’s disease
Reimbursement for transport and ride sharing to attend study visits, as needed
The opportunity to contribute to learning more about Parkinson’s disease
Study Participation and Your Safety
You should know that participant safety is our number one priority during every stage of the study process. All research studies are carefully supervised, monitored and documented. Every research study is reviewed and approved by a special group of people called an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee (EC), which is made up of scientists, non-scientist professionals and members of the public. They also make sure that participants’ rights are protected, and they seek to avoid exposure to unnecessary risks. IRBs and ECs will approve only studies that they think could help answer important medical questions.
While the study is ongoing, a team of study doctors and nurses at the study site will closely monitor your health. If you have questions or concerns at any point throughout the study, a study staff member is available. The study staff can also tell you about their COVID-19 safety protocols.
Your participation is voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time, for any reason. Although others can help you make up your mind, the final decision is yours to make. Your privacy will be maintained throughout the study.
The information you provide will be kept confidential.
If you prequalify and give your permission, your information will be forwarded to a member of the study team. They will contact you to discuss more information about participation.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that impacts the central nervous system. It is a progressive disease, which means the symptoms get worse over time.3,4
Symptoms may include:4
Tremor (involuntary shaking or movement)
Bradykinesia (slowness of movement)
Limb/muscle stiffness
Balance problems and difficulty walking
Other symptoms may include sleep difficulties, constipation, depression and anxiety.3
The cause of Parkinson's disease is not known, though it is believed that environmental and genetic factors may play a role.5 A buildup of LRRK2 protein has been linked to Parkinson’s symptoms in people who both do and don’t have an LRRK2 mutation.6 Mutations in the LRRK2 gene are rare and still being studied. If you qualify and enroll in the study, the study doctor will discuss additional information about genetic considerations for Parkinson’s disease.
Most people develop symptoms after the age of 50, but it is estimated that 4% to 10% of sufferers are diagnosed before the age of 50.3,7 Men are 1.5 times more likely than women to have this condition.7
Saunders-Pullman R, Raymond D, Elango S. LRRK2 Parkinson disease. In: Adam MP, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, et al., eds. GeneReviews.[Internet]. University of Washington, Seattle;2006. Updated July 6, 2023.
Di Maio R, Hoffman EK, Rocha EM, et al. LRRK2 activation in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Sci Transl Med. 2018;10(451):eaar5429. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aar5429
The purpose of the LUMA Study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an investigational medication, as compared to a placebo, to see if it may delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease in eligible patients who are in the early stage of their condition. A placebo is a substance that looks like the investigational medication, but does not have active medication.
Since the LUMA Study is for people with early-stage Parkinson’s, the study may determine whether slowing down LRRK2 protein buildup early on may reduce or delay the need for other approved Parkinson’s medications.
How does the study drug work?
The investigational drug is an LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) inhibitor, meaning the investigational drug may inhibit, or slow down, the LRRK2 gene. The LRRK2 gene is highly active in people who both do and don’t have an LRRK2 mutation. In Parkinson’s disease, the LRRK2 gene functions abnormally,1 which may cause LRRK2 proteins to build up in neurons and lead to Parkinson’s symptoms.2 Since the LUMA Study is being done in people with early-stage Parkinson’s, the study may also determine whether slowing down LRRK2 buildup early on may reduce or delay the need for other Parkinson’s medications.
Who is the study sponsor?
Biogen, in collaboration with Denali Therapeutics Inc., is conducting the LUMA Study. Biogen is a global biotechnology company located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Denali Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, California.
Where are the study sites located?
The LUMA Study will be conducted globally. When you take the prescreener, we use your postcode to locate a study site in your area.
How do I decide if this research study is right for me?
Deciding to participate in a research study is an important and personal decision. Before you agree to participate, the study team will review all aspects of the research study with you, and if you wish, your loved one. You will be given a document called an Informed Consent Form that provides, in writing, the research study's purpose, medical measurements that will be done, procedures, potential benefits, risks and precautions. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and are encouraged to speak with family and your own physician to decide if taking part is right for you.
Additionally, your participation in the study is completely voluntary. You may withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without affecting your regular medical care.
Will I be paid for taking part in the study?
Study-related medical care and study medication will be provided at no cost. You may be compensated for some of your transport and other costs related to the study. The study staff can provide you with more information about this.
Is there a placebo in this study?
Yes. There is a 1 in 2 chance of receiving a placebo during this study. A placebo is a substance that looks like the investigational medication but contains no active medication. A placebo helps to differentiate any changes seen during the study and determine whether they are due to the study medication alone and not another reason.
There is also a 1 in 2 chance that you will receive the investigational medication. Your treatment group will be assigned at random (by chance), so neither you nor the study team will know which one you are receiving. However, in case of an emergency, the study doctor can quickly find out.
What will happen to my personal information?
The information you provide will be kept confidential in a secure database and used to evaluate your qualification for this study only. With your permission and if you meet the prescreening criteria, we will forward your contact information and online prescreener answers to the study site you selected. If you do not meet the prescreening criteria, all information regarding your identification will be deleted from our database, unless you authorise us to contact you in the future. Your information is not shared with any third-party organisation for any separate use or shared with anyone who is not directly associated with this clinical research study without your permission (except as required by law) or as set forth in the informed consent. You can read or download a copy of our full data privacy notice at https://www.biogen.com/en_us/privacy-policy.html.
Does my doctor need to give me permission to participate?
No, your doctor does not have to give you permission to participate. However, feel free to talk to your doctor about participating in the study. With your permission, the study doctor will keep your regular doctor updated about your condition during the study.
Can I withdraw from the study after I have started?
Yes, your participation in any research study is completely voluntary. If you decide to participate in a research study, you are always free to withdraw at any time, for any reason, without any penalty or effect on your future medical care. You should talk to your study doctor about leaving the study so that a final evaluation can be scheduled.
About Research Studies
What is a research study?
In the context of the LUMA Study, a research study, also known as a clinical trial, is a scientific study that evaluates the safety and efficacy of an investigational medication, as compared to a placebo. A placebo is a substance that looks like the investigational medication, but does not have active medication. Qualified doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are responsible for conducting the study.
It is only through the completion of research studies that investigational medication can be evaluated and, if proven safe and effective, approved for a particular use. Different regulatory bodies in different countries, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), may provide this approval after a thorough review. Today, prescription medications need to be shown to be generally safe and effective during research studies.
Who oversees clinical research studies?
To help make sure that a clinical research study is ethical, and that participants’ rights are protected, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or Ethics Committees (ECs) review study protocols.
Who can participate in a research study?
Only people who meet all required eligibility criteria for a research study may take part. The study team at the study doctor’s office will review your medical history and current medical status against the eligibility criteria. They will determine if you are eligible to participate in the research study. You may also be asked to provide information from your medical records to help the study team determine whether you may be eligible.
What is an investigational medication?
An investigational medicine is a medicine being studied that has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other regulatory body as its safety and efficacy have not been established. Before a clinical research study ever allows people to join, it must go through initial reviews and approvals by organisations and agencies like the FDA or MHRA; an Institutional Review Board (IRB); and an Ethics Committee (EC). The IRB and EC consist of scientists, physicians, and community members to make sure the research is ethical and the rights of people in the study are protected.
Saunders-Pullman R, Raymond D, Elango S. LRRK2 Parkinson disease. In: Adam MP, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, et al., eds. GeneReviews.[Internet]. University of Washington, Seattle;2006. Updated July 6, 2023.
