logo
A-ha front man Morten Harket diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

A-ha front man Morten Harket diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

CTV News04-06-2025
OSLO - Morten Harket, the lead singer of Norwegian band A-ha, whose 'Take On Me' track remains one of the most popular songs from the 1980s, said on Wednesday that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
In a statement on the band's website, and confirmed by record label Sony Music, Harket, 65, said he had undergone several rounds of brain surgery and that he was managing the symptoms of the disease.
Parkinson's causes deterioration in the brain's nervous system, leading to tremors and other symptoms that can become progressively worse over time. The disease can be treated with surgery and medication, but there is no cure.
Harket said he last year underwent neurological procedures to have electrodes implanted inside his brain and that this had reduced the symptoms.
Known for the wide range of his voice, Harket said he did not know if he would be able to perform again.
'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis,' he said, adding that it was difficult to balance medication and managing side effects of the treatment.
'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline,' Harket said.
Formed in 1982 by Harket and his friends Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, A-ha saw a global breakthrough in 1985 with their debut album 'Hunting High and Low' which yielded several hits such as 'Take On Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV.'
'Take On Me' was recently featured in the second season of HBO's hit series 'The Last of Us' when the main character Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, performed an acoustic version of the song.
Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Toby Chopra, Reuters
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Serina Therapeutics to Present at FORCE Family Office Investor Webinar on June 26, 2025
Serina Therapeutics to Present at FORCE Family Office Investor Webinar on June 26, 2025

Globe and Mail

time24-06-2025

  • Globe and Mail

Serina Therapeutics to Present at FORCE Family Office Investor Webinar on June 26, 2025

How Parkinson's affects million – and why current treatments are not enough Continuous dopaminergic stimulation (CDS): a next-gen approach to Parkinson's care Serina's drug candidate SER-252 is designed to deliver continuous symptom relief Join Serina CEO Steve Ledger for this live event hosted by FORCE Family Office HUNTSVILLE, AL, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serina Therapeutics, Inc. ('Serina') (NYSE American: SER), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing its proprietary POZ Platform ™ drug optimization technology, is pleased to announce that Chief Executive Officer Steve Ledger will present at an upcoming FORCE Family Office investor webinar titled "New Drug Optimization Platform to Transform Parkinson's Care.' The Event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT. In this presentation, Mr. Ledger will discuss how advanced Parkinson's disease impacts millions of people worldwide by affecting their ability to move and maintain quality of life. He will highlight the limitations of current medications, which often wear off quickly or cause unwanted side effects like tremors or stiffness. SER-252 is Serina's propriety polymer conjugate of apomorphine, a clinically proven dopamine agonist, which is designed to deliver continuous dopaminergic stimulation (CDS), which aims to provide smoother, longer-lasting symptom control and greater convenience. The discussion will also explore the unique advantages of Serina's POZ Platform ™, a next-generation drug optimization system with the potential to improve the safety, duration, and tolerability of Parkinson's treatments and other therapeutics. The webinar will be hosted by FORCE Family Office CEO, Steve Saltzstein, and include a Q&A session. Attendees may submit questions via the online chat feature during the event. To register for the complimentary event, please visit: About Serina Therapeutics Serina is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of wholly owned drug product candidates to treat neurological diseases and other indications. Serina's POZ Platform ™ provides the potential to improve the integrated efficacy and safety profile of multiple modalities including small molecules, RNA-based therapeutics, and antibody-based drug conjugates (ADCs). Serina is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama on the campus of the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology. For more information, please visit About FORCE Family Office FORCE is the largest network of Family Offices, Foundations, Endowments, and individual accredited investors in the United States. They introduce members of their network to leaders of public companies and privately held businesses at the capital acquisition stage. In addition, they facilitate co-investment opportunities, information sharing, philanthropy, and networking among their elite, peer-to-peer community. More information can be found at Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statement This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. These statements are based on management's current expectations, plans, beliefs, or forecasts for the future, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Any express or implied statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about the potential of Serina's POZ polymer technology, are forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when any applications may be filed for any drug or vaccine candidates in any jurisdictions; whether and when regulatory authorities may approve any potential applications that may be filed for any drug or vaccine candidates in any jurisdictions, which will depend on a myriad of factors, including making a determination as to whether the product's benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product's efficacy and, if approved, whether any such drug or vaccine candidates will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of any drug or vaccine candidates; and competitive developments. These risks as well as other risks are more fully discussed in Serina's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Serina's other periodic reports and documents filed from time to time with the SEC. The information contained in this release is as of the date hereof, and Serina assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments. The information contained in this release is as of the date hereof, and Serina assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

MilliporeSigma Announces Neoclease as Winner of 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant
MilliporeSigma Announces Neoclease as Winner of 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant

National Post

time18-06-2025

  • National Post

MilliporeSigma Announces Neoclease as Winner of 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant

Article content Winner's lead therapy targets Parkinson's disease; platform addresses 6,000+ genetic disorders Neoclease gains access to MilliporeSigma's technologies and expert support to scale its AI-designed gene-editing platform The company has awarded 40+ startups globally through Advance Biotech Grant since 2014 Article content BURLINGTON, Mass. — MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced Neoclease as the winner of the 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant. The Boston-based biotech startup develops AI-designed gene editing therapies for Parkinson's disease. Article content Article content 'We're committed to empowering biotech innovators who are advancing transformative modalities like gene editing,' said Sebastián Arana, Head of Process Solutions, Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. 'By combining Neoclease's AI-designed gene-editing platform with our technologies, regulatory expertise, and process support, we aim to help accelerate new treatments that minimize side effects and maximize effectiveness for patients.' Article content Neoclease's platform combines generative AI and synthetic biology to develop next-generation, precision gene-editing therapies. Neoclease's lead candidate, NCX-L2, is designed to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson's disease – a condition that currently has no disease-modifying treatments. More broadly, Neoclease's approach has the potential to address more than 6,000 monogenic diseases by targeting the root causes of illness rather than only managing symptoms. Article content As part of the grant, Neoclease will receive access to MilliporeSigma's products, technologies, and contract testing services, as well as expert consultation and training through the M Lab™ Collaboration Center and Emprove ® program. M Lab™ Collaboration Centers offer hands-on technical solutions and process optimization, while the Emprove ® Program simplifies risk management and regulatory compliance through quality products, detailed documentation, and dedicated support. These resources will support Neoclease in scaling its processes, optimizing manufacturing, and navigating regulatory requirements. Article content The Advance Biotech Grant Program, launched in 2014, reflects the ongoing commitment of the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to supporting early-stage biotech companies developing innovative therapies for patients. To date, more than 40 companies worldwide have received grants and technical support across a wide range of therapeutic areas including cancer, neurological diseases, and cardiovascular disorders. The company will continue this global effort with upcoming grant awards in Asia-Pacific (October) and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (November). Article content About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Article content The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 26,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Article content Around 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries. Article content The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark 'Merck' internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content

‘Really interesting project': P.E.I. researcher studying genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's
‘Really interesting project': P.E.I. researcher studying genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's

CTV News

time14-06-2025

  • CTV News

‘Really interesting project': P.E.I. researcher studying genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) in Charlottetown is best known for its veterinary medicine program, but it's also home to scientific research on human health. It's in the planning stages now, but later in the summer research will officially begin at the AVC into Parkinson's disease, thanks to a three-year grant from Parkinson Canada. 'Being able to get an award like this and get funded to do this research is not easy,' says Dr. Jay Penney, who was awarded the $135,000 grant following an application. 'I'm certainly quite happy. It's allowing me to do this research, which will hopefully lead to helping people with Parkinsons.' Penney is an associate professor and Canada Research Chair at Biomedical Genetics at the AVC. The funding will be used to examine a newly-discovered mutation of the RAB32 gene, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. 'There's been quite a few of those mutations identified over the years, but this particular one was just found last summer, so it's quite newly-identified,' explains Penney. 'Basically, this research is designed to try to understand what's happening at the cellular level in the cells of the brain that is being caused by this mutation.' In his lab, Penney and his team will use human stem cell models to create brain cells that contain the mutation and study them. While the money won't be in place until the end of the summer, Penney is currently in the planning stages of his work. He plans on looking at different cellular signaling pathways and processes and try to test whether those are altered. 'The stem cell models that Jay is using is helpful because he's using actual human cells from Parkinson's patients,' says Ko Currie, the manager for research funding and partnerships manager with Parkinson Canada. 'It's really one of the closest model symptoms there are to studying Parkinson's in human patients.' According to Parkinson Canada, more than 110,000 people in Canada are living with the neurodegenerative disorder. Currie says Canada 'punches above its weight' when it comes to Parkinson's research. 'We have some of the most well-renowned doctors and research scientists in the world,' adds Currie. 'So, we have a really strong research program for Parkinson's disease.' Currie and Penney hope the work in Prince Edward Island will help the medical community understand more about the disease. 'The whole project is aimed at trying to understand what this mutation does to the cells of the brain,' adds Penney. 'It's pretty early stages of basic science research, which is aimed to try to understand what's happening. And then once we understand what's happening, we have a lot better chance of figuring out how to fix it.' The funding for the study will be available beginning in August. 'The better we understand Parkinson's, the more targets we have, the better we'll be set up for designing new therapies, new drugs, to ultimately stop Parkinson's at the end of the day,' says Currie. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store