Largest ever Parkinson’s research trial is starting now

We’re proud to be supporting and co-funding the largest ever Parkinson’s research trial, which has now started recruiting participants in London and Newcastle, with more than 40 research trial sites due to open across the UK over the next year.

The Edmond J Safra Accelerating Clinical Trials in Parkinson’s (EJS ACT-PD) is a revolutionary research trial, aiming to save time and money when testing treatments that have the potential to stop or slow Parkinson’s progression. It will do this by testing multiple treatments at once, in a trial format known as a multi-arm, multi-stage, or MAMS.

The first drugs being trialled, telmisartan and terazosin, are in phase 3 of clinical testing. This is the final hurdle before a treatment can be approved for use. People will randomly be assigned to one of these treatments or a placebo group and it is hoped that more treatments will be added in to be trialled over the coming years.

Both drugs are being ‘repurposed’ for Parkinson’s. This means that they are already used to treat other conditions. Telmisartan is a drug currently used to lower blood pressure, and terazosin is used to treat an enlarged prostate. But there is some evidence to show they could also work to slow down Parkinson’s progression.

The EJS ACT-PD research trial

The trial has been designed in collaboration with over 90 partners, including people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones, who have worked together to ensure that the trial is accessible and inclusive. This has included expanding the criteria for being involved in the trial, so as many people as possible will be eligible to take part. They’ve also worked to make sure the majority of appointments can be done from home, and that there are research trial sites across the whole of the UK.

Carroll was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 9 years ago, and has been part of the team planning the EJS ACT-PD study. She said:

"I think this trial has potential to find a major breakthrough. We know that Parkinson’s gets worse over time, but there are no treatments to stop it. EJS ACT-PD is going to prioritise treatments that are aiming to do just that. And by testing the treatments in a quicker, more efficient way, hopefully we can get to one faster."

The MAMS format of EJS ACT-PD not only allows for multiple treatments to be tested at the same time, but also means that other treatments can be added or removed. If a treatment doesn’t look promising, it can be removed from the trial and replaced with another, without the need to shut down the whole trial and start again.

The Edmond J Safra Accelerating Clinical Trials in Parkinson’s Disease (EJS ACT-PD) trial is funded by a Medical Research Council (MRC) and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) partnership, Cure Parkinson’s, The Michael J Fox Foundation, Parkinson’s UK, The John Black Charitable Foundation, The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and Van Andel Institute.

How can I get involved?

The EJS ACT-PD trial will need 1600 people with Parkinson’s to take part. Trial sites are currently recruiting in London and Newcastle, and more are planned to open before the end of the year and into 2026. You can register your interest now, and you will be contacted when your chosen trial site is open. 

You can learn more about the trial and register your interest on our Take Part Hub page.

You can also see answers to frequently asked questions about the trial, eligibility criteria, and what the trial will involve in our FAQ document.

Professor David Dexter, Director of Research at Parkinson's UK said: 

"We're thrilled to see the launch of this revolutionary trial for Parkinson's. Designed with people with Parkinson's and their loved ones at the centre, we've been proud to invest our time, funding and support in all aspects of this trial's design. EJS ACT-PD has had collaboration at its heart, with experts in Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s research coming together across the UK and beyond to share experience and make this huge trial a reality. We’re looking forward to continuing to work in this way and provide our support as it moves on to start recruiting participants.

"As a charity, we are committed to funding promising research, from cause to cure, and getting new treatments for Parkinson's faster. The launch of EJS ACT-PD is an exciting step forwards towards this goal."