 |
 |
I found an excellent PD reference page at http://www.brainnet.org/pd_drugs.htm I have excerpted the sections relating to new drug treatments: NEW DRUGS - AN UPDATE by Professor Peter Jenner This year should see the launch of at least two new dopamine agonist drugs for treating Parkinson's Disease. Ropinirole (SmithKline Beecham, UK) and Pramipexole (Pharmacia/Upjohn,USA) will provide another means of treating both the early stages of Parkinson's disease and the problems which arise when L-DOPA starts to lose its effect. The potential advantage of these drugs hopefully lies in a lower ability to induce dyskinesias compared to L-DOPA and a low propensity to induce psychiatric side effects. Pharmacia/Upjohn are also developing another dopamine agonist, named Carbergoline, which is claimed to have a long duration of effect. Two drugs for potentiating the effect of L-DOPA are under development. These compounds, called Entacapone (Orion, Finland) and Tolcapone (Hoffmann-LaRoche, Switzerland) act by preventing the breakdown of L-DOPA by an enzyme called catechol O-methyl transferase (COMT). Both inhibit COMT activity and prolong the duration of effect of each dose of L-DOPA. These should be launched in 1998. Finally, an exciting new compound is under development for Parkinson's disease. Known as NS 2214 (NeuroSearch, Denmark), in experimental models, it reverses the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease without provoking dyskinesias even when these have already been established by prior treatment with L-DOPA. The interest in this compound is so great that Bristol Myers Squibb have just invested $30 million in co-developing the drug with NeuroSearch. Discovery Therapeutics' Parkinson's Treatment ... VIENNA, AUSTRIA (June 18) BUSINESS WIRE -June 18, 1996--Discovery Therapeutics, Inc., a privately-held pharmaceutical company located in Richmond, Va., today announced the presentation of the first human data for its N-0923 transdermal patch product for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. Dr. Vincent P. Calabrese, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurology, Medical College of Virginia, will present the data in poster sessions June 19- 21, 1996 at the Fourth International Congress of Movement Disorders in Vienna. The data are from Discovery's recent human pharmacokinetic and safety study of N-0923, a potent dopamine replacement molecule specifically designed and optimized for delivery through the skin. More than $1 billion dollars (U.S.) are spent worldwide for therapeutic agents to treat Parkinson's Disease, a debilitating neurological disorder that afflicts more than 1% of the U.S. and European population over the age of 50. Patients experience rigidity, difficulty in walking, muscle tremor and slowness of movement. The disease is caused by degeneration of the portion of the brain that secretes dopamine, a neurotransmitter signal molecule used to coordinate voluntary muscle activity. "I think this drug is going to become an important treatment for Parkinson's Disease," said Dr. Calabrese. "This study demonstrates that transdermal delivery can maintain consistent levels of drug in the blood without the ups and downs associated with oral delivery. Delivery through the skin avoids the side effects of oral delivery for any patient, and provides the first practical alternative in the United States for the patient who cannot take medication by mouth. "The N-0923 molecule itself is structurally different from available therapies. In addition to being optimized for transdermal delivery, it is a very specific non-ergot-based dopamine agonist that avoids side effects, such as dyskinesia (jerky movements) and the gastrointestinal distress associated with less specific and ergot-based compounds." The company has just completed a study of the efficacy of the N-0923 patch in Parkinson's Disease patients. Preliminary results are encouraging and the data will be submitted this summer for publication, probably to appear early next year. The company plans to proceed with Phase III within the next few months and will seek a marketing partner. Discovery Therapeutics, Inc. is an independent company founded to invent, develop and commercialize pharmaceuticals for poorly-met medical needs using novel signal molecule technology. In addition to its transdermal product for treating Parkinson's Disease, Discovery Therapeutics Inc. is developing new products for improved diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. These include an agent designed to selectively dilate coronary blood vessels to facilitate cardiac imaging diagnostic procedures. Use of this agent should result in fewer side effects and improved imaging than is possible with the current generation of vasodilating imaging agents. The company intends to begin clinical trials with this product in 1996. Another product is in human trials for the treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders.