The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7355 p786
25 June 2005

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News summary

New Parkinson’s treatment

A new drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease will be available in the next few weeks. Rasagiline (Azilect) is a selective, irreversible monoamine-oxidase type B inhibitor licensed for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. It can be used either as monotherapy or as adjunct therapy with levodopa.

Clinical trials have shown that the drug has a beneficial effect on patients’ quality of life and reduces the periods of the day during which patients experience poor or absent motor function compared with placebo (PJ, 9 April, p415).

Rasagiline, jointly marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals and Lundbeck, is administered orally at a dose of 1mg per day, with no change in dosage required for elderly patients.


Notice-board p787