sate poxNQecre “tle will lake auc eon th) useyend thf VIL apie on vi : Mieco = eg and “I tres STD fam nh 7 sx0 tion teaFi Mssale tq named wal whi 18S Progresshte Parkinson’s Disease (NAPS)—Morethan one mil- lion people in the U.S. and more than four million worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s Disease, a chronic progressive disorder of the nervous system. As the baby boomers age, this number is expected to grow. Now, a new survey showsthat in addition to its establishedclinical benefits, a recently introduced medicine to treat the disorder called entacapone (Comtan), can significantly improve the mood andoverall sense of well-being of those with the disease. A recently introduced medica- tion may help people with Parkinson’s disease do better on their old medication. “Doctors often ask themselvesif add-on drug therapies actually improve the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients,” said Dr. many patients reporting their mood was better or much better dation Center of Excellence at Ohio State University and chairperson of the steering committee baseline. A full discussion of these Jean Hubble, Director, of the Madden-National Parkinson Foun- after 30 days. In addition, patients indicated that they experienced significant decreases in feel- ings of depression versus at results was published as a supple- showed that by adding entacapone ment to the October 2000 issue of Neurology Reviews. indeed accomplishing just that.” peutic class called COMT inhibitors that block the COMT volved 1,168 patients who were breakdownof levodopa before it reaches the brain. The addition of of treatment with entacapone plus regimen ensures efficient use of levodopa/carbidopa, resulting in for this initiative. “This survey to levodopa/carbidopa, the current gold standard of therapy, we are The survey, called the Response Initiative Program, in- asked about their quality oflife at baseline and again after 30 days levodopa/carbidopa therapy. The survey utilized a validated Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire called PDQ-8. After 30 days of treatment with Comtan belongs to a new thera- enzyme and thus reduce the a COMTinhibitor to the treatment greater and more sustained avail- ability of levodopa for brain entry and extendingthe positive effect of each levodopa dose. Under a entacapone plus levodopa/car- licensing agreement with Orion Corporation in Finland, Comtanis showeda significant improvement. Pharmaceuticals Corporation. bidopa,the total mean PDQ-8score In addition, there wasa statistically significant improvement in each of the eight individual items surveyed, including difficulty get- ting around, difficulty getting dressed andfeelings of depression. The most improvement was seen in ease of getting around, where patients had indicated the greatest marketed in the U.S. by Novartis Comtanis generally well tolerated and does not require any spe- cific safety monitoring. The most commonly reported side effects were dyskinesia, nausea, diar- rhea, abdominal pain and urine discoloration. Dopaminergic side effects like dyskinesia often impairmentat baseline. improved after adjustment of the levodopa dosage. cant improvements in compliance with taking their Parkinson’s Dis- son’s Disease and Comtan (including full prescribing informa- Patients also reported signifi- ease medication, as well as in mood, with more than twice as To learn more about Parkin- tion) visit the Comtan Website at www.comtan.com.
