For many people living with Parkinson’s disease, levodopa (L-dopa) remains the most effective therapy for restoring movement. Yet long-term treatment often brings two major problems: motor fluctuations, in which symptoms return between doses, and dyskinesia, involuntary movements that can erode quality of life. The clinical challenge is that physicians typically cannot add a single, robust medicine to levodopa that simultaneously improves symptom control and prevents dyskinesia.
A team led by Sinopia Biosciences, a UC San Diego–grown startup, reports preclinical evidence for such a dual-purpose approach. In rodent and non-human primate models, its lead compound, SB-0110, enhanced levodopa’s benefits while reducing dyskinetic side effects. The findings were published in Science Translational Medicine on July 15.
“We’re targeting both re-emergence of Parkinson’s symptoms and dyskinesia,” said Sinopia CEO and co-founder Aarash Bordbar, reflecting on why most current strategies fail to address the two issues together. Given the worldwide burden of Parkinson’s—estimated by the World Health Organization to exceed 8.5 million cases—the need for more predictable long-term treatment is accelerating.
Bordbar’s background in computational biology at UC San Diego shaped Sinopia’s strategy: use biologically coherent data analysis to connect large datasets back to biochemical mechanisms. The company’s work emphasizes translating gene-activity patterns into candidate interventions designed to preserve therapeutic pathways while counteracting dyskinesia-associated changes.
SB-0110 was also attractive from a development standpoint. The compound is derived from an older cardiac drug with experience outside the United States, supporting early confidence in safety considerations. Mechanistically, SB-0110 targets PKA-II, a brain signaling system already implicated in dopamine and movement responses.
In the study, Sinopia combined computational predictions with experimental validation. Collaborators brought complementary expertise spanning pharmacology, chemistry, and Parkinson’s modeling. When administered in relevant animal paradigms, SB-0110 significantly reduced dyskinesia and improved motor performance in settings where levodopa alone was insufficient—without the typical increase in involuntary movements.
Although translation from animals to humans remains uncertain, Bordbar expressed optimism about clinical potential. Sinopia is completing toxicology studies required for regulatory review and aims to begin first-in-human testing next year, with a projected six- to seven-year runway to patient availability if outcomes remain favorable.
Subject of Research: Animals
Article Title: A small molecule reduces both parkinsonism and L-dopa–induced dyskinesia in animal models of Parkinson’s disease
News Publication Date: 15-Jul-2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aec7409
References: Science Translational Medicine (10.1126/scitranslmed.aec7409)
Image Credits: Courtesy of Aarash Bordbar
Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; levodopa; dyskinesia; SB-0110; PKA-II; preclinical models; computational biology; translational medicine; motor fluctuations
