Press Release

Phase III trial results shows statistically significant and clinically relevant reduction in 'off' time. The results support the favorable data of previous trials with rotigotine.

SCHWARZ PHARMA announced today that the response of patients with advanced stage of Parkinson's disease treated with the rotigotine transdermal system as adjunctive therapy showed statistically significant and clinically relevant reduction in 'off' time when compared to placebo treated patients. Results of the study showed that both primary endpoints for the U.S. and Europe were achieved and the product appeared to be well tolerated. Also a favorable increase in 'on' time without troublesome dyskinesia was observed. Over 90% of patients who completed the trial continued in an open-label extension trial.

Press Release

Clinical trials have shown efficacy and safety in early Parkinson's disease patients and a potential for long term benefit. First market launches of the Parkinson's patch within Europe will be in the first half of 2006.

SCHWARZ PHARMA announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization for Neupro® (rotigotine transdermal patch), for the treatment of Parkinson's disease as monotherapy. Upon receipt of approval, SCHWARZ PHARMA will be able to market Neupro® throughout all 25 European Union countries.

Press Release

The largest clinical study to investigate disease modification in Parkinson's disease (PD) has now enrolled its first patients in Europe and North America. Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd has initiated the ADAGIO study (Attenuation of Disease progression with AGILECT®/AZILECT® Once-daily) to determine if treatment with once-daily AGILECT® /AZILECT® (rasagiline tablets) can modify the progression of PD.

Press Release

DUODOPA® now has a registration in Sweden, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia; The product was already on the market in 15 countries, but has now gained access to 13 other European countries via a Mutual Recognition Procedure. This means that Solvay Pharmaceuticals can now market the product throughout Europe.

On Saturday 3rd September 2005, the UK's first conference for people with Dystonia and who have had or are considering a surgical procedure known as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), took place at the magnificent Belvoir Castle bringing together leading experts and patients from Belgium, Netherlands, America and across the UK.

Delegates learnt about the latest clinical findings and classification of Dystonia from the Unit of Functional Neurosurgery at the National Institute of Neurology, London, the impact of stimulation on speech; surgical advances and some incredible developments in stimulation technology.

Thanks to the generosity of Medtronic a DVD on the conference including contributions from patient and health professionals has been produced and is now available through Choice UK, a home entertainment chain, and will also be available throughout libraries towards the end of November 2005.

For further details, see www.parkinsonsappeal.com/news.html

Press Release (Swedish version)

Stockholm, Sweden, Nov. 15, 2005 – Two weeks of local administration of sNN0031, a compound under development for Parkinson’s disease, normalized movement and restored dopamine balance in a rat model of the disease. Improvements continued after the treatment was concluded. Movements were almost completely normalized after 5 weeks and remained so for the entire follow-up period of 10 weeks. A rapid increase in the number of stem cells and the formation of new neurons were also seen.

The result of the preclinical study was presented today at the international meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington D.C. in the USA.

“The ability of sNN0031 to restore movement in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease is important as it seems to act by a novel mechanism – increasing stem cell-derived neurons. It may therefore represent a fundamentally new approach to treat Parkinson’s disease”, said Anders Haegerstrand, one of researchers and CSO at the Swedish biotech company NeuroNova which is developing sNN0031. “The common approach of preventing the death of neurons has so far been unsuccessful in clinical trials. We are hopeful about the potential of sNN0031 in treating patients with Parkinson’s disease.”

The substance sNN0031 is an active ingredient in a drug approved for use in humans, but not for brain disease and in a form not suitable for this type of treatment.

The study was selected among approximately 17,000 abstracts by the Society for Neuroscience for a press conference to highlight the most important research findings. With at least 30,000 attendees, the Society’s annual meeting is the world’s largest and most influential yearly gathering of neuroscientists.

The preclinical study used a well-established rat model in which the number of dopamine producing neurons is reduced to mimic Parkinson’s disease.

The abstract “Pharmacological Activation of Endogenous Stem Cells by sNN0031 as a Therapeutic Strategy in Parkinson’s Disease” may be viewed at http://sfn.scholarone.com/.

For more information please contact:

Anders Haegerstrand, CSO, NeuroNova AB
Tel: +46 (0) 70 575 50 37
Email: anders.haegerstrand@neuronova.com

Ulf Ljungberg, CEO, NeuroNova AB
Tel: +46 (0) 70 546 63 30
Email: ulf.ljungberg@neuronova.com

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NeuroNova is engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of CNS diseases. NeuroNova’s technology platform is used for identifying, testing and developing substances that stimulate neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons. NeuroNova has three compounds in late preclinical development, two for Parkinson’s disease and one for an undisclosed neurodegenerative orphan disease. www.neuronova.com.

Synapse Article

Carrying as its theme, “Embrace tomorrow. Make the future brightening not frightening,” the 6th European Conference for Younger People with Parkinson’s disease (Dublin, 7-9 October) featured a series of upbeat presentations on improving management and developing new therapies.

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Synapse is a magazine produced by Oyster, a specialist medical publisher producing quarterly magazines and medical journals in key medical specialities for secondary and primary care teams.

Steve, who takes over from Linda Kelly, was previously Chief Executive of South West Kent Primary Care Trust. He has over twenty years experience of working in the health service but this is his first step into the charity sector.

Steve Ford, Chief Executive of the Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) said: "I am delighted to be starting with the Society. It opens up the opportunity for me to use my health service knowledge to push for change for people with Parkinson's. Long term conditions are now finally on the agenda and the Society will be working to make sure that government proposals for improved services become a reality for people with the condition.

"The Parkinson's Disease Society has actively been promoting research, care and support for people with Parkinson's for 37 years and I am determined to build on this and help increase awareness of the organisation and the issues affecting those with the condition."

As part of his new role Steve will be continuing the work that the Society has begun on the National Service Framework (NSF), as well as the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

On October 8, 2005 the Broesler School of Irish Dance held a Treble Reel for Charity in Carmel, NY at their annual feisanna. The proceeds of this event went toward Parkinson's disease research with the Parkinson's Unity Walk as the benefactor.

Over 100 Irish dancers ages 5-18 years old participated in this event. The amount raised by the Broesler School was $815.00 The goal of this event was to raise money but also to increase awareness of Parkinson's disease and educate others of the need for research.

Dancers and other interested parties received a red tulip pin with advocacy information. The red tulip pins explained how the red tulip is the world symbol of hope in finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and included other educational information. These pins were created and donated by a grant, shipped free of charge from H Lundbeck A/S., pharmaceutical company in Denmark and obtained with the help of the European Parkinson's Disease Association. Other advocacy information was also in the feis journal which was obtained by over 800 people. Dancers who won the various treble reel competitions received in lieu of a trophy a bouquet of red tulips. The Broesler School donated money that they would have spent on trophies to the cause as well.

The Broesler School chose Parkinson's disease research as a cause to support because some dancers parents have been recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The Broesler School wanted to show their support and raise funds and awareness for this worthy cause.

(Obituary by Professor Leslie Findley)

On October 3rd 2005, our friend and colleague William (Bill) Koller, died unexpectedly.

Bill was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 12th 1945. He graduated from Marquette University High School and completed a BS at Marquette University in 1968. At Northwestern University in Chicago, he received a Master of Science in Pharmacology in 1971 and a PhD in Pharmacology in 1974. He graduated in Medicine in 1976.

He completed his internship and residency at the Rush Presbyterian St Lukes Medical Centre in Chicago. He held positions at the Rush Medical College, University of Illinois and the Loyola University.

From 1987 to 1999 during some of his most productive years, he was Professor and Chairman of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Centre. Under his leadership, it became a world renowned centre for movement disorders in general and, essential tremor, in particular.

In 1999, he was "headhunted" and moved to the University of Miami and became the National Research Director for the National Parkinsons Foundation. An objective of this move he told me was to set up a world centre for Parkinson's disease and related disorders, including essential tremor. However with the lack of appropriate funding, in 2002 he moved to New York and became the Director of the Movement Disorder clinical programme at Mount Sinai Medical Centre.

His final move was to the University of North Carolina with the objective of developing the movement disorder service. He spoke to me about this at dinner six weeks ago and his enthusiasm for his new post, was "palpable". He brought vigour and energy to his movement disorder colleagues and had laid the foundation for a superb clinical and research programme to extend over the next decade. He had been a member of the Working Group on Parkinson's Disease since it was formed by the World Health Organisation in May 1997.

To his colleagues, Bill was a world renowned neurologist specialising in Parkinsons Disease, Essential Tremor and related disorders. He published over 70 peer reviewed manuscripts, over 160 review papers and multiple books. He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, Treasurer of the Movement Disorder Society (1999-2000). He was an Executive Board Member of the PD Study Group (1996-1999), President of MOVE (2001-2002), founding member of the Tremor Research Group and founder of the International Tremor Foundation. A recent workshop in the US on essential tremor funded by the Institute of Health USA was dedicated to the memory of Bill Koller.

I know Bill would want to be remembered as much for his caring, his clinical skills and his relationships with his patients (many of whom became his friends), as much as for his world international academic achievements. Bill represented the best of American Neurology and was able to combine the wisdom and kindliness of the good physician with the focus, and directness, of the researcher.

Those that knew Bill will remember him for his sense of humour, his warmth, his youthful enthusiasm and his love of life. I never saw Bill without a smile on his face and however serious the situation was, there was always a sparkle in his eye. He could bring levity to almost any scenario when it was appropriate.

I worked with him, drunk with him and fished with him. It is with a heavy heart that I now find myself in the position of writing an obituary for him.

Those in the Tremor Foundation have lost a mentor and friend.

He is survived by his wife Vicky Royse Koller and his three sons, Todd (27), Chad (21) and Kyle (16). Our thoughts and sympathy are with them at this time.

“

ars longa Vita brevis est

”

 

Professor Leslie J Findley

Member Working Group on Parkinson's Disease

Full News Article

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Two new studies suggest that rotigotine, an anti-Parkinson's medication now under review by the Food and Drug Administration, could be added to the standard treatment for the disease.

"This is really one of those moments in medicine when we can say that we are looking at the possibility of fundamentally changing the way we treat a major disease," Dr. Warren Olanow, a leading Parkinson's expert and professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said at a news briefing earlier this week.

Press Release

Athens, Greece, September 18, 2005 - SCHWARZ PHARMA today released the results of several clinical trials of rotigotine, a dopamine agonist for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and formulated as a first-of-its-kind transdermal patch. The data from Phase III trials on the efficacy of rotigotine in treating patients with advanced-stage PD was presented during the SCHWARZ PHARMA Satellite Symposium held at the 9th European Federation of Neuro-logical Societies (EFNS) in Athens.

Press Release

Benefits of Azilect seen when given alone or on top of concomitant dopamine agonist therapy

Athens, Greece, September 18, 2005 - New data presented today in an oral presentation session, at the 9th congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies, showed that treatment with Azilect® (rasagiline 1 mg) once daily can provide significant additional benefits to levodopa treated patients with moderate to advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). These benefits were seen regardless of whether patients were receiving additional, optimized treatment with a dopamine agonist.

News Release

The National Council for Palliative Care has published its response to the House of Lords Select Committee report on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill.

Press Release

The Primary Care Neurology 2005 Conference (29th September 2005) is the first major event for the P-CNS, the new network organisation to support professionals with an interest in neurology. The conference, the second in the series of events this year, brings together leading experts in primary care neurology and will be held on the 29th of September at the Manchester Conference Centre.

WebCast

The 3rd Annual Young-Onset Parkinson Network Conference which took place in Phoenix, Arizona, this past July is now available for viewing as a webcast.

Webcastings technology enables hundreds if not thousands of others to "attend" the Conference through internet communications, thereby extending the reach of the Conference presentations to those that were unable to travel to Phoenix. Webcasting allows attendees to view important parts of presentations multiple times, and enables NPF Chapters, support groups, families affected by Parkinson disease, and others literally the world over to use the Conference as a "learning series" to host viewings of different segments of the Conference.

This year The Israel Parkinson Association has suffered a great loss with the passing away of Itzhak Mehrez

The IPA was co-founded in 1993 by Mr Itzhak Mehrez, Mr Raphi Medan and the Neurologist Dr Nir Giladi and Itzhak Mehrez was chairman of the Israel Parkinson Association for ten years.

During his chairmanship, he expanded the Association from a single local branch, set up in the Haifa – Krayot area, to a national association of thirteen active branches and with three more in the process of being established.

He was awarded with the Minister of Labor and Welfare Shield of honor for excellence in the field of self-help groups for the year 2001 and winner of the prize for Volunteer for Year in 2004.

He came into contact with the Israel Parkinson Association, then in its early stages, through a support group organized by the Parkinson Clinic of the Zvulun Medical Center of the General Health Fund.

“

Attending the support group changed everything. From being supported I turned into the one giving support. I began working to help the patients. As a result of the group, I myself became stronger

”

That's the way Itzhak was describing his attraction to the voluntary work for the Israel Parkinson Association. And what a monumental work it was!

Physical activity was one aspect Itzhak pursued "religiously". All his life he was active in sport.  He was a professional swimmer, a goalkeeper for the national Israeli water-volley ball team, he played basketball for the Maccabi Haifa National league established the Kiryat Bialik branch of Maccabi and trained youth teams in basketball.

“

Activity in general and mental activity especially, keeps the patient’s condition from deteriorating

”

He ran the affairs of the association from home as the IPA have no rented offices and all the staff work on voluntary basis, so the Mehrez family served as a listening ear for all the members of the association.

Itzhak had a long career of public service and youth guidance behind him. While he held a job at the Israel Electricity Company, he was a sports instructor for youth groups and organized holiday camps for them. He managed the cultural center of Kiryat Bialik, which was full of life and action. For two years he was assigned to Uruguay as an envoy of the immigration Department of the Jewish Agency.

Itzhak’s dream was to establish a home of holistic therapy for Parkinson’s patients assigned there. It should have included therapeutic balancing by expert neurologists together with a staff of paramedics, psychological and social support, occupational therapy, art therapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, proper dieting, breathing and relaxation methods and more.

Itzhak was married to Yehudit. He was father of two children and grandfather of five grandchildren and two adopted grandchildren.

View EMEA Council Decision

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) is a decentralised body of the European Union. The EMEA began its activities in 1995, when the European system for authorising medicinal products was introduced, providing for a centralised and a mutual recognition procedure. The EMEA has a role in both, but is primarily involved in the centralised procedure. Its main responsibility is the protection and promotion of public and animal health, through the evaluation and supervision of medicines for human and veterinary use. The EMEA coordinates the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products throughout the European Union.

The Management Board is the supervisory body of the EMEA, responsible, in particular, for budgetary matters.

In accordance with a change to the EMEA Management Board composition introduced by Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 in May 2004, the Council of the European Union has appointed four members to the Board to represent European patients’, doctors’ and veterinarians’ organisations.

The EMEA warmly welcomes Mary Baker and Jean Georges (patients’ representatives), Lisette Tiddens-Engwirda (doctors’ representative) and Fritz Ungemach (veterinarians’ representative) to the Board. The next meeting of the Management Board is on 28-29 September 2005.

Letter from EBC president, Prof Jes Olesen

The Commission for Research has officially submitted its proposal for the 7th Framework programme to cover the years 2007-2013 to the European Parliament for political debate and decision.

There are 2 aspects of immense importance in this proposal. Firstly, health is now mentioned as the first major research field out the 12, where this was previously technological research. The other major factor is that brain research has its own section while other major diseases are under one other section. This may have huge budgetary consequences.

Press Release

A new software application by Dutch software-wizard Nico Cuppen and British physicist Nick Allen has been developed that provides a unique software solution for users with tremor who find it difficult to control their computer mouse.

The application features an unusual dual-cursor. A special guide cursor provides visual feedback by showing the user’s actual hand movements, while the normal Windows cursor takes an average of these movements and predicts where the user intends to click.

MouseCage was developed for people with Essential Tremor (ET), Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that may cause hand shake or tremor. MouseCage is released under the Tunic Software label and is available for Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Picture (left to right): Dot Kerr, Dr Donald Grosset, Ton Janssen and Riku Kolari with Mary Baker

To mark the 1,000^th examination using DaTSCAN for Parkinsonian symptoms at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, GE Healthcare Senior Account Manager

Nuclear Medicine Products Dot Kerr organised an informal meeting in the City where a selected audience listened to a series of presentations outlining the development, use and patient benefits of the product.

In his welcome, GE Healthcare Commercial Director Nordic, Baltics and Russia/CIS for Riku Kolari, paid tribute to the work of the team at Southern General Hospital, headed by Dr Donald Grosset. He went on to outline the commitment GE Healthcare had to the imaging community, believing in partnerships with leading institutions to seek the best for the patient.

To overview the Product Evolution of DaTSCAN, Ton Janssen, from Scientific Support, painted a fascinating picture of the discovery of dopamine, the therapeutic benefits of cocaine, and the surprising revelation that the actual product that lead to DaTSCAN was not at first regarded as the leading contender.

Ton was followed by Southern General Hospital Consultant Neurologist Dr Donald Grosset , who in an innovative presentation titled 'Brick Walls, Low Ceilings and Gold Bars, the success story of DaTSCAN, outlined the Clinical Experience of working with DaTSCAN, describing it as the 'Gold Standard.'

The meeting ended with an impassioned presentation by Mary Baker, President of the European Parkinson's Disease Society and VP of the European Brain Council. In it Mrs Baker argued that every patient who showed even the smallest signs of Parkinson's Disease should be imaged as a matter of routine so that remedial steps can be taken at the earliest opportunity.

A new study suggests that starting treatment earlier after diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease on the dopamine agonist ropinirole rather than L-dopa pays dividends in the long-term. The study showed of those patients who started on ropinirole significantly fewer patients developed dyskinesias over 10 years, despite eventually being treated with both drugs.

The study followed patients of average age 63 who at the start of their treatment were receiving L-dopa or ropinirole and were treated as normal with other drugs as deemed necessary.

At the end of the 10-year period all patients needed a combination of drugs, but significantly fewer patients in the group initially treated with a dopamine agonist experienced a longer time to the onset of dyskinesia compared to those who began treatment with L-dopa.

The patients in the ropinirole group did not experience any difference in terms of efficacy compared to L-dopa in controlling the other symptoms of Parkinson’s nor increased disability in the long term, said investigators. Both treatment strategies ended up achieving similar reductions on the UPDRS and ADL rating scales for Parkinson's-related motor symptoms and disability.

Commenting on the study Professor David Brooks of Imperial College, London said: "This study is the first to deliver such long-term data; so it represents a breakthrough." The results had taken him by surprise, he noted. "I had cynically assumed all the initial dyskinesia-sparing benefits of ropinirole would have been seen in the first five or so years and be lost by 10 years. But it seems people do benefit for at least 10 years from starting with a dopamine agonist and that's very exciting because it justifies starting with dopamine agonists from the word go. You can achieve comparable efficacy by adding in L-dopa later but still avoid dyskinesia because the dosage of L-dopa needed is about 50 per cent lower."

Press Release

Data announced today at the 16th International Congress on Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders (ICPD) in Berlin, show that initiating treatment with ropinirole (versus L-dopa) is associated with lower incidence, and delayed onset of dyskinesias 10 years after the commencement of therapy.

The long-term study, which followed Parkinson’s Disease patients for up to ten years, demonstrated that patients who were initially treated with ropinirole, regardless of subsequent therapy, developed significantly fewer dyskinesias than those who began treatment with L-dopa (52.4% vs 77.8%).

Press Release

Results from a long-term open label extension study of patients originally enrolled in the TEMPO trial [(TVP-1012) in Early Monotherapy for Parkinson's disease Outpatients] showed:

• a beneficial effect of early treatment over 12 months
• a mean annual UPDRS decline for patients treated with Azilect of only 2-3 units compared with historical decline rates of 8-11 units in placebo-treated patients

Commenting on the results, Dr Robert Hauser, of the University of South Florida, Tampa General Hospital, USA said: "Patients treated just six months earlier with Azilect showed significantly less symptom progression and functional decline, and this advantage persisted for six years. The finding that it is possible to remain on Azilect monotherapy for a prolonged period of time, without the need for additional dopaminergic therapy, also evidences the long-term promise for Azilect therapy in patients who are started early in the course of the disease".

PENS Website

During the last four years, FENS and IBRO have made increasing efforts to support Neuroscience education and training in Europe, each funding or co-sponsoring numerous summer and winter schools.

Furthermore, faculty members from Europe make one of the largest teaching contingents at the IBRO schools outside of this continent and students from developing countries have benefited from being able to attend the European schools organized by FENS and IBRO.

Ever since the creation of the Alumni Programme in 2002 that links IBRO and FENS with former participants in their schools, FENS and IBRO have co-organized receptions for them at each of the FENS Forums (Paris and Lisbon). These events and the entire worldwide Alumni programme are lead by Sigi Huck.

Press Release

The James Parkinson Red Tulip, named in commemoration of Dr. James Parkinson, becomes the official world symbol of Parkinson's disease.

Press Release

NEW YORK, April 11, 2005

WE MOVE (Worldwide Education and Awareness of Movement Disorders) announced today at the American Academy of Neurology’s 57th Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Florida, that more than 40 million Americans – nearly one in seven people – are affected by chronic and often debilitating movement disorders, including tremor, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, dystonia, and spasticity, according to the most recent review of prevalence data on such conditions. WE MOVE also reported that a patient with a movement disorder may visit more than 15 doctors over the course of five years before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

In response to this public health problem, WE MOVE is spearheading a coalition of more than 40 professional and patient advocacy groups to launch Life in Motion – a campaign to raise awareness about the more than 30 neurological conditions that may be classified as movement disorders, and encourage earlier diagnosis and treatment.

As part of this nationwide awareness campaign, WE MOVE has established a Life in Motion Web site, www.life-in-motion.org, that includes downloadable patient education brochures and information on movement disorders. The Web site also includes information on the Life in Motion campaign, Life in Motion coalition members, an online press room, a glossary of terms, as well as links to the WE MOVE Web site, www.wemove.org.

Press Release

As World Parkinson’s Disease Day is marked on 11 April, researchers at the University of Birmingham are working on the world’s largest research study of drug treatments to this debilitating disease. The PD MED trial is analysing treatment of more than 850 UK patients, to determine which drugs provide the most effective control, with the fewest side effects, for both early and later Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

Press Release

Read article in The Guardian

London, United Kingdom, April 5, 2005. Today saw the launch of an illustrated guide to Parkinson’s disease (PD) written specifically for children. The author, Rasheda Ali, has first hand experience of living in a family affected by Parkinson’s disease. Her father, the world famous boxer Muhammad Ali, has suffered from PD for over 20 years. PD is one of the most common, progressive, disabling neurological disorders and is known to significantly affect the quality of life of people living with PD as well as their families.

This book has been made possible by an educational grant from Novartis and Orion Corporation Orion Pharma and is available in English, French, Spanish and Polish.

More information can be found in Articles & Books as well as Patients' & Carers' Views

 

Press Release

Parkinson's Disease affects more than 1,000,000 people in Europe and most patients with established PD receiving long-term treatment will eventually have motor fluctuations, periods during the day when the effects of PD medication have worn off and PD symptoms are no longer adequately controlled.

The LARGO trial showed that patients treated with rasagiline (Azilect®) experienced an average reduction in "off" time of 1.2 hours daily, compared to placebo and significant improvement in the major symptoms (such as tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement) of PD.

Press Release

Today the Archives of Neurology published a study demonstrating that AzilectR (rasagiline) provides additional therapeutic benefits for patients already receiving optimized treatment with other therapies, including levodopa, dopamine agonists and entacapone.

In particular, key findings from the PRESTO (Parkinson's Rasagiline: Efficacy and Safety in the Treatment of Off) multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel group, double blind study showed that:

• Patients treated with once-daily Azilect (rasagiline 1mg) experienced an average reduction in "off" time of 1.85 hours daily, a significant reduction compared to placebo
• Azilect, when compared to placebo, significantly improved the cardinal PD symptoms - tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia.

Commenting on the results, lead investigator Professor Ira Shoulson said: "Results from this study show benefits of rasagiline compared with placebo in moderate-to-advanced levodopa-treated PD patients experiencing motor complications. After months or years of dopaminergic therapy, these patients commonly experience motor complications, such as unpredictable fluctuations between "on" and "off" time. This study showed that rasagiline was well tolerated and effective at reducing "off" time, increasing "on" time and improving features of Parkinson's disease".

The practical management of the project will be carried out by Pharmacy Alliance, an organisation with a strong track record of bringing together committed community pharmacists to deliver new services to meet the needs of patients and healthcare purchasers.

The project was initiated by the European Parkinson's Disease Association who have found that people with Parkinson's disease (PD) face many problems in relation to their medicines, and could benefit greatly from the support of a community pharmacist with a special expertise in this area. A preliminary survey carried out by the Parkinson's Disease Society in conjunction with Pharmacy Alliance revealed a very high level of support for such a service from patients themselves, GPs and pharmacists.

However, it is hoped that the proposed pilot project will lay the ground work not only for a widespread service for patients with PD, but also for the establishment of 'pharmacists with a special interest' in a range of disease areas. To this end, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain are closely involved, and the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at the Department of Health is on the steering group.

For further information on this project, please click here or visit www.medicines-partnership.org/projects