A skin patch seems to relieve the symptoms of people with early-stage Parkinson's disease, giving doctors hope of a new option for controlling this progressive disease.
The new treatment, called the Neupro patch, was developed by Schwarz Pharma and is currently approved in Europe and waiting for approval in the United States. It works by delivering the anti-Parkinson's drug, rotigotine, through the skin. Most other Parkinson's treatments come in the form of pills and should be taken at specific times of the day. Therefore, the ability to put on a patch once a day may eliminate some of the complications found when patients cannot adhere to a rigorous pill routine.
"For clinicians and people with Parkinson's, this is a new and simple way of delivering a dopamine agonist," said Dr. K. Ray Chaudhuri, consultant neurologist at University Hospital Lewisham in London, in a press release announcing this new drug. "It has the potential to overcome many of the problems associated with oral administration and may well prove to be one of the most effective methods of delivering a steady and continuous dose."
Parkinson's disease occurs when the body produces too little dopamine, a chemical in the brain, making it difficult for the brain and nervous system to work effectively. This leads to the jerky movements seen in patients with the disease. Most anti-Parkinson's drugs, therefore, mimic dopamine to allow the patient to better control movements.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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