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Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 09:46:32 -0500 Parkinson's sufferers offered new hope By Kevin McGran TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada has approved a drug to help relieve degenerative symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Tolcapone, marketed under the name Tasmar by pharmaceutical giant Roche, is the second major drug approved in the last three months for the uncurable disease that afflicts about 100,000 Canadians. Administered to patients at a cost of about $4.90 a day, Tasmar enhances and prolongs the action of levodopa in the brain, providing better and extended control of symptoms, its makers said Thursday. Levodopa is the standard drug for treating Parkinson's symptoms, primarily tremors, muscle stiffness and loss of control over movement. Tasmar works on enzymes in the brain to allow more levodopa to pass through the brain-blood wall, rendering levodopa more effective in smaller doses. Tasmar's main side effect is diarrhea. It can also cause liver problems. Tasmar is already available in the United States, Europe and Japan. Another drug, ReQuip, marketed by SmithKline Beecham, was approved in August. It works directly on the brain to relieve Parkinson's symptoms and is suited to sufferers diagnosed early and who have not used levodopa. "The drugs are entirely different medicines," said Dr. Ali Rajput, head of neurology at the University of Saskatchewan, reached at his office in Saskatoon. "Both have a place in treatment," said Dr. Michel Panisset, director of the Movement Disorder Clinic, reached at his Montreal office. More drugs are on the horizon. One called Mirapex is available in the United States. Another, entacopone, is under development in Finland. Since there is no cure, the focus is on relieving symptoms. Parkinson's sufferers and research advocates say the focus on the disease is long overdue. "I used to be quite active," said Derek Curwin, 56, a ski instructor and actor diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago. "All of a sudden, that's been taken from me. It's really traumatic." As he spoke at Roche's news conference, Curwin's right arm shook uncontrollably. "It's a disease that has really been neglected by society," said Dr. Donald Calne, director of the Neurodegenerative Disorders Centre at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. While most Parkinson's sufferers are over age 65, many are being diagnosed early in life. About 20 per cent of people develop it before 50. "The next breakthrough will be the one that stops the progression of the disease," said Calne, on hand in Toronto for Roche's unveiling of its new drug. "That will be dependent upon finding a cause." CP 1528ES 30-10-97