New medicines
 Neupro
Composition: Rotigotine.
Presentation: Transdermal patch.
Class: Dopamine agonist.
Indications: Treatment of the early stages of Parkinson’s disease
without concomitant levodopa therapy.
Dosage: The patches are applied to the skin once a day and remain in
place for 24 hours. The starting dose is 2mg/24 hours. This can be increased
by 2mg/24 hours each week until an effective dose is reached. Maximum
dose 8mg/24 hours.
Contraindications: Neupro should be removed before magnetic resonance
imaging or cardioversion to avoid burns.
Precautions: Do not apply external heat to the patch. Monitor blood pressure
due to risk of hypotension. Where somnolence or sudden sleep onset occur
consider dose reduction or discontinuation. Rotate patch to minimise
skin reactions. Withdrawal should be gradual to avoid symptoms of neuroleptic
malignant syndrome.
Side effects: Very common (>1/10) somnolence, dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
application site reactions. Common (>1/100, <1/10) anorexia, sleep
attacks, hallucination, anxiety, abnormal dreams, insomnia, headache,
postural dizziness, dyskinesia, lethargia, orthostatic hypotension, hypertension,
cough, hiccup, constipation, dry mouth, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, hyperhydrosis,
erythema, pruritis, peripheral oedema, asthenic conditions.
Legal category: POM
Net price: Starter pack (7 patches of each strength) £110.34, 28
x 2mg £77.24, 28 x 4mg £88.28, 28 x 6mg £110.34, 28
x 8mg £142.79.
Contact details: Schwarz Pharma Ltd, Schwarz House, East Street, Chesham,
Buckinghamshire HP5 1DG. Telephone 01494 797500.
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