Media & Research

There's new hope for Parkinson's sufferers in the form of light therapy, with a clinical trial showing an improvement in the symptoms of participants.One of the participants is classically-trained pianist Chen Ong (photographed above). She is back doing what she loves after a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease two years ago. Ms Ong is now keeping the tremours at bay with the help of a [Symbyx PDCare] hand-held laser light.

SYMBYX, an Australian med-tech company developing laser light therapies to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms, said it welcomed the publication of key findings from its Adelaide clinical trial in the leading BMC Neurology Journal. The journal published results of the 52-week trial involving two groups of patients that showed improvements across a range of motor and non-motor skills. Parkinson’s South Australia (PSA) partially funded the trial.

Light Therapy on the head improved cognition in patients living with mild to moderate dementia according to the results of a clinical trial led by neurosurgeon, Jason Huang, which were published in the journal, Aging and Disease, on July 3, 2021.

Sufferers of chronic pain have long been told it’s all in their head. We now know that’s wrong, by Linda Geddes, The Guardian 28 June 2021

"To most people, pain is an unpleasant but short-lived sensation, occurring as a result of illness or injury. Although some people may experience ongoing or chronic pain, the assumption is there must be some kind of underlying physical injury, such as a crushed nerve, or an angry, inflamed joint.

Increasingly though, experts are waking up to the idea that chronic pain can occur without any obvious physical injury, or in a completely separate area of the body from the original site of tissue damage."

"I now use Photobiomodulation in combination with tailored PD exercises (Marize is a lead trainer in Melbourne for our friends over at PD Warrior) to address common barriers to patient engagement - poor sleep, constipation, bloating, nausea, reduced energy levels, muscle & joint pain, subdued mood...to name just a few. Some of these symptoms have been intractable for many years…and now they are changing for the better or have totally disappeared. This was previously unheard of.” claims Neuro Physio, Marize Newnham of Regain Life Physiotherapy in Mont Albert, Melbourne, Australia

"SYMBYX is focused on two new frontiers – using innovative laser and light devices to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms – and understanding the role of the gut microbiome in Parkinson’s and other disease models including Alzheimer’s, autism and IBS"... “the Adelaide PBM trial showed the treatment to be side-effect free, low cost and potentially clinically effective, with significant improvements in primary and secondary outcome measures. This is early stage but very promising testing."

SYMBYX’s new PDCare trial program allows Australian and NZ customers to enjoy a no obligation 30-day trial period and extended payment terms on their purchase of a PDCare laser provided they work closely with a referring health clinician.

Please note this program was extended to Canada from August 2021 also. 

SYMBYX recently closed our A-Round Funding and raised more than $3 million (AUD) from a small group of highly credentialed investors, including Australian-based venture capital and global medical company founders. We thank them for sharing our vision of widespread use of Photobiomodulation therapy in the treatment of diverse conditions, including Parkinson’s, Fibromyalgia and other gut mediated indications. 

"PBM was shown to be a safe and potentially effective treatment for a range of clinical signs and symptoms of PD. Improvements were maintained for as long as treatment continued, for up to one year in a neurodegenerative disease where decline is typically expected". BMC Neurology, July 2021.

A (fibromyalgia) flare-up starts with instant exhaustion and a brain fog so dense I might struggle to speak, writes Nikki Marshall of The Guardian newspaper, 30 June 2021. "Then the pain begins. It’s a rusty feeling in my hands and feet that moves up and seeps into my wrists and ankles, elbows and knees, shoulders and hips..."

There is increasing interest in our microbiomes and the connection between gut and brain health. This study is another intriguing piece of the puzzle highlighting the importance of lifestyle factors and diet. Importantly, it also points to new much-needed treatment opportunities for the diseases that cause dementia – now the leading cause of death in the UK and elsewhere. 

Chronic gut inflammation can trigger the clumping of alpha-synuclein in the walls of the colon, a new study reports. Researchers found chronic inflammation in the gut during early life can exacerbate the clumping of alpha-synuclein in the brains of older mice. The findings add to a growing body of evidence which links gut health to Parkinson’s disease.