title: Novel Approaches to Optimization of Levodopa Therapy for Parkinson's Disease.
abstract: Levodopa (LD) is the most effective medication to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). However, motor fluctuations and drug-induced dyskinesia compromise the long-term success of levodopa therapy in PD. These response complications are due, at least in part, to fluctuating LD plasma levels (as a result of erratic gastric emptying, variable jejunal absorption, and most importantly, the short half-life of LD) with standard levodopa formulations. Keeping levodopa concentrations as constant as possible is the target for improving the pharmacokinetics and developing new ways of LD administration. In this article, we review novel oral and non-oral LD formulations including the ones that have successfully completed phase 3 clinical trials and have come to market and ones that are still in earlier phases of clinical development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. Yasaman.Kianirad@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Yasaman
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kianirad
authors.affiliation: Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Abbott Hall 11th Floor, 710 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. TSimuni@nm.org.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simuni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa
keywords: Extended-release formulation; Gastroretention; Intrapulmonary delivery; Levodopa infusions; Parkinson’s disease; Subcutaneous delivery