FDA Panel Backs Novartis Drug for Parkinson’s disease Finance
Since there seems to be many negative stories surrounding the pharmaceutical industry, when there is something positive, I try to post about it. Sometimes, it is too easy to be negative.
Exelon is already approved for early to mid-stage Alzheimers. It works by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, an important neuro-transmitter. This seems to slow down the progression of Alzheimers but it is not a cure.
Novartis is seeking to expand the labeling to include dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. It is already approved in about 14 countries in Europe for this indication. It would be the first drug approved in the US for dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. Since about 40% of people with Parkinson’s progress also develop dementia, this will be an important treatment. It should be noted though that Novartis is being cautious and has said this is not a fast growing drug for them.
It is interesting that the name Exelon was approved since this is also the name of an energy company outside Chicago Here’s another interesting article on this potential confusion.
Resources:
• FDA Panel Backs Novartis Drug: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance
• Yahoo! News Search Results for Exelon
• Exelon - Google News
• Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment - Exelon (rivastigmine tartrate) (main website for the drug)
Technorati Tags: alzheimers, dementia, Exelon, Parkinson’s disease
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