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Rasagiline Helpful as Adjunct Treatment in Parkinson's Disease: Presented at ANA

By Ed Susman

CHICAGO, IL -- October 12, 2006 -- A subgroup analysis found that treatment with the second-generation monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor improves control of Parkinson's disease symptoms in patients being treated with levodopa, researchers reported here at the American Neurological Association (ANA) 131^st Annual Meeting.

Data pooled from 2 clinical trials with rasagiline found that treatment with rasagiline reduces daily "off" time -- or the period when symptoms are evident -- and produces global improvements in patients with mild fluctuations at baseline, reported Steven Schwid, MD, associate professor of neurology, University of Rochester, New York, New York.

"Rasagiline produces significant efficacy benefits in patients with moderate Parkinson's disease," Dr. Schwid said in his poster presentation on October 10^th.

In patients treated with levodopa monotherapy who were offered rasagiline as an adjunct treatment, "off" time was reduced by 1.44 hours a day with adjunct rasagiline in 133 patients, versus a reduction of 0.66 hours among the 120 patients who were not taking rasagiline. That difference reached statistical significance at the P < .01 level, Dr. Schwid reported.

For patients who were defined as mild fluctuators, "off" time was reduced by 0.76 hours in the 105 patients taking adjunctive rasagiline, but increased by 0.22 hours for the 112 patients who were not taking rasagiline. That difference reached statistical significance at the P < .001 level, he said.

"Rasagiline provides efficacy benefits, as adjunct to levodopa, over a range of baseline severities, including moderate Parkinson's disease and concomitant Parkinson's disease treatments," Dr. Schwid said. "A favorable safety profile and convenient dosing schedule adds to its suitability for use in diverse adjunct settings."

Patients were drawn from the larger Parkinson's Rasagiline: Efficacy and Safety in the Treatment of "Off" (PRESTO) trial and the Lasting effect in Adjunct therapy with Rasagiline Given Once daily (LARGO) study. The studies were supported by Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd., based in Israel; Teva Neuroscience, Inc., based in the United States and H. Lundbeck A/S, based in Denmark.


[Presentation title: Rasagiline Is Beneficial as Adjunct Therapy in Patients with Moderate Parkinson's Disease: Subgroup Analyses. Abstract T-43]

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