The results of one of the largest-ever studies of Parkinson’s disease have demonstrated that early treatment with Azilect may have a positive effect on slowing the disease’s progression.
The results from the Adagio trial conducted by H Lundbeck partner Teva Pharmaceutical Industries demonstrated that Parkinson’s disease patients treated with Azilect (rasagiline) 1mg/day experienced superior benefits over 18 months compared to those treated over nine months.
The trial is significant as Azilect is the first Parkinson’s disease treatment shown to succeed in a prospective delayed-start study, a trial design specifically developed to test for the possibility of a disease-modifying effect.
Adagio co-principal investigator Warren Olanow said that a therapy that slows or stops disease progression is the greatest unmet need in the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
“The results of this study provide support for the possibility that early treatment with Azilect 1mg/day may slow the development of disability,” Olanow said.
The trial took place as a randomised, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, which examined the potential disease-modifying effects of the treatment in 1,176 patients with early, untreated Parkinson’s disease.
Azilect 1mg tablets are available in 38 countries, including the US, Canada, Israel, Mexico and all of the EU countries, where it is marketed by Teva in collaboration with Lundbeck.
