Parkinson's patient experiences symptom relief with new medication

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/uok-ppe042115.php

Public Release: 21-Apr-2015
University of Kentucky

To date, a cure for Parkinson's disease remains elusive for the more than 50,000 Americans diagnosed yearly, despite decades of intensive study. But a newly approved treatment that might help ease the symptoms of Parkinson's has shown remarkable promise.

John Slevin, MD, MBA, Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair of Research at UK's Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, worked with a team of international investigators to explore the efficacy of continuous levodopa dosing using a specially developed gel called CLES (Duopa®) that is delivered directly into the small intestine by a portable infusion pump.

"We were extremely pleased with the results," Dr. Slevin said. "Patients with advanced PD treated via this new method demonstrated marked improvement in symptom fluctuations with reduced dyskinesia."

According to Dr. Slevin, CLES's effectiveness is due in part to the fact that it results in more stable plasma concentrations of levodopa by delivering it directly to the small intestine, which bypasses issues of erratic gastric emptying and absorption caused by reduced muscular function inherent to PD.

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The FDA approved CLES in January 2015. Because the safety and efficacy of levodopa is already established, this treatment has the potential to be fast-tracked for widespread use within the next 4-6 months.