NATIONAL PARKINSON FOUNDATION
1501 NW 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33133 Telephone: (305)
547-6668 Toll Free: 1 (800) 327-4545 Fax: (305) 243-4403 =09
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Melinda Brown
(305)243-2235
FDA Approves First Ever Dopamine Agonist For=20
The Treatment of Parkinson=92s Disease
National Parkinson Foundation Clinical Director=20
Publishes Study On The Effectiveness Of The Drug
MIAMI, JULY 3 - - Yesterday, Pharmacia & UpJohn received clearance from the
FDA to market a new drug for the treatment of Parkinson=92s disease. This
drug which will be marketed under the name MIRAPEX=AE (pramipexole
dihydrochloride tablets) is the first drug for Parkinson=92s disease to be
cleared since 1989.=20
"This drug will make a significant difference to the currently available
anti-Parkinson=92s drugs, stated Abraham Lieberman, M.D., Clinical Director
for the National Parkinson Foundation. "We will now be able to treat
Parkinson=92s disease earlier and more effectively."=20
The details of how this new type of drug works and the indications for it=92=
s
use will appear in the July issue of Neurology. Authored by Dr. Lieberman,
this article details the study of 300 Parkinson=92s disease patients who wer=
e
tested with this new Dopamine Agonist. In addition to Dr. Lieberman,
two-thirds of the primary investigators for this study were from NPF=92s
Centers of Excellence through out the world.
Another Dopamine Agonist manufactured by SmithKline Beecham is awaiting FDA
approval any day now. For more information regarding how these new
medications can help people with Parkinson=92s disease, call the National
Parkinson Foundation at=20
1(800) 327-4545.
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