Academic and career coincidences strengthen Purdue Nutrition Science alum’s fight against Parkinson’s

Purdue Nutrition Science alumnus Mark Paulik, right, participates in physical therapy, training and exercise to help keep his Parkinson’s disease symptoms under control.

Mark Paulik utilizes his expertise in science, nutrition and biochemistry — as well as the grit three degrees from Purdue University earns you — to battle a formidable foe in Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Diagnosed in 2009 in the middle of his career as a scientist for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Paulik refused to let the debilitating neurodegenerative disorder slow him down. As a research scientist in drug discovery primarily focused on metabolic diseases, Paulik spent part of his tenure at GSK co-leading programs for diabetes and obesity. One such program looked at glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and other gut-hormone combinations. Being in that career position enabled Paulik to be keenly aware of the newly emerging positive neuroprotective effects of GLP-1s in preclinical models of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s.

Making lemonade out of a lemon

In 2015, GSK announced the closing of several labs, which prompted Paulik and five other colleagues to be co-founders of Phoundry Pharmaceuticals. The startup focused on developing potent peptide therapeutics for metabolic diseases and other indications. They developed a potent GLP-1 agonist that was slated to be used in combination with other gut hormone peptides where synergistic efficacy for diabetes and obesity was realized.

Shortly after Phoundry’s opening, Intarcia Therapeutics, known for developing the Medici pump, acquired Phoundry. The Medici pump, an implantable device delivering continuous medication, provided a perfect delivery system for Phoundry’s peptide therapeutics. Given the small matchstick-like size of the Medici pump, utilizing highly potent peptides was a critical aspect in successfully developing the therapeutic device. This acquisition enabled Intarcia’s pipeline to develop long-acting treatments for chronic diseases, enhancing therapeutic efficacy and patient adherence.

More on Medici

The Medici pump is a novel drug delivery system designed to provide continuous and controlled infusion of medication. It’s pre-loaded with a specific drug formulation. The pump utilizes pressure to deliver the medication at a constant rate over an extended period.

Paulik said the implant procedure was “minimally invasive” and took about three minutes. The device uses osmosis to drive the medication from the device into the tissue and eventually in the bloodstream.

“By providing a steady drug concentration, it can improve therapeutic outcomes and reduce the side effects associated with traditional oral or injectable medications,” Paulik explained. “The implantable nature of the device can lead to improved quality of life for patients by eliminating the daily burden of medication management and reducing the risk of missed doses.” 

Although recently rejected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Type 2 diabetes treatment, the Medici pump could be developed as an alternative in Parkinson’s treatment, if the phase three GLP-1 for Parkinson’s study is successful.

Appetite for Nutrition Science

Paulik received a master’s degree from the Purdue Department of Nutrition Science in 1991 after his undergraduate studies in biological sciences and before his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology. He values all these STEM ventures, but he credits his years studying under professors Dorothy Morre and Daniel Pratt in Nutrition Science for valuable wet lab experience increasing his biochemistry expertise.

The experience earned him a long career as a working scientist. He credited his years studying nutrition science in shaping his career path as well as helping with his Parkinson’s. 

“It often feels like I’m living in parallel universes seeing the synchronicity between my education, career and treating my disease,” Paulik reflected. “It was a great experience. I look back at it, and it provided me the foundation and skills that I needed to be successful. It gave me the viewpoint of looking at medicine holistically. That is the foundation of where I am today in terms of treating Parkinson’s.”

Ritual of Wellness

While taking the GLP-1 was a boost to feeling better, Paulik takes great care of his overall well-being. He’s adopted a Mediterranean diet while keeping active.  

“It’s a lot like training to be an elite athlete, where strictly adhering to proper diet and exercise are critical for positive outcomes,” Paulik said. “Parkinson’s is a complicated disease. There are 42 possible symptoms it presents. There’s no one-size-fits-all therapy, and there’s no magic bullet. 

“We must learn how to embrace the complexity of the disease as well as the diversity of the symptomology to have disease-modifying impacts on Parkinson’s. Based on its complexity, I believe that personalized medicine in PD will yield the most successful therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat the disease.”

Paulik’s personalized approach to the Parkinson’s field works for him and could work for other PD patients.

Infographic by Mark Paulik