Skin patch hope for Parkinson's sufferers

Healthcare News
20/09/2005

A skin patch has seemed to alleviate some of the symptoms of both early and late-stage Parkinson's disease in tests.

The patch, which is designed to deliver a steady dose of the drug rotigotine for around 24 hours, was significantly better at improving motor function than a placebo in patients with early stage Parkinson's, according to researchers at the European Federation of Neurological Societies meeting in Athens.

Those patients suffering late in their condition were also helped by the patch, reducing 'off' symptomatic periods and increasing 'on' time without dyskinesias.

According to medpagetoday the initial study of the drug involved 273 patients with early stage Parkinson's, 177 of which were given the active drug and 96 the placebo for six months.

Study leader Dr Werner Poewe of Innsbruck Medical University in Austria, said patients that received the active drug had a mean improvement of 3.8 points over baseline in the Unified Parkinson Disease Ratings Scale (UPDRS).

Some side effects suffered by patients included nausea, dizziness and somnolence.

The drug is now in late development stages and should be available within the next two years.