Drug hope for country’s 7,000 Parkinson’s sufferers

THOUSANDS of people in Ireland with Parkinson’s disease could have the quality of their lives enhanced by a drug now proven to slow down the progression of the chronic and fatal neurological disorder.

The drug Azilect (rasagiline), when taken once a day, was found to be effective, safe and well tolerated in a study involving almost 1,200 patients in 14 countries over 18 months.

As well as slowing the progression of the disease, the drug also provided symptomatic improvements. Parkinson’s disease is an age-related degenerative disorder of the brain where the symptoms can include tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement and impaired balance.

An estimated four million people worldwide suffer from the disease, which usually affects people who are over the age of 60.

The Parkinson’s Association of Ireland said the drug brought hope to the 7,000 people in Ireland with the condition.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, a partner of Lundbeck, has the rights to Azilect, and now intends to submit the results of the study to the regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe.

Consultant neurologist Dr Timothy Lynch said he welcomed any research into finding new ways to better manage Parkinson’s disease, in the hope of slowing down progression of the disease.

Spokeswoman for the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland Ann Keilthy, said that the disease was more than a movement disorder.

“People are troubled not only by the condition itself, but also by its impact on their everyday lives and quality of life,” she said.