View the Comparison Table: Drugs for Parkinson's Disease

Tolcapone (Tasmar - Roche), a dihydroxy-methyl-nitrobenophenone, has been marketed as an adjunct to levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet, and others) for treatment of Parkinson's disease in both stable patients and those with end-of-dose "wearing off"of levodopa.

Levodopa combined with carbidopa (Sinemet, and others) is the most widely used treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease, but after 2 to 5 years most patients develop troublesome complications (Treatment Guidelines from The Medical Letter 2004; 2:41). The newest treatment for Parkinson's disease patients with end-of-dose "wearing-off" is Stalevo (Novartis), a combination of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor entacapone (Comtan) with 3 different doses of levodopa/carbidopa. The rationale for Stalevo is that it permits some patients to take only one pill rather than...

Vyalev (Abbvie), a solution for continuous subcutaneous infusion containing the prodrugs foscarbidopa and foslevodopa, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of motor fluctuations in adults with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Vyalev is the first subcutaneously administered product to become available in the US for treatment of PD symptoms. Duopa, a carbidopa/levodopa enteral suspension infused via a nasojejunal tube or percutaneous gastrostomy, was approved in for the same indication 2015.

The FDA has approved a new formulation of carbidopa/levodopa (Rytary – Impax) in extended-release capsules for treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Controlled-release carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet CR - Dupont Pharma) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of Parkinson's disease. The new formulation of this old combination (Sinemet) has the drugs suspended in a polymeric matrix that erodes slowly in the gastrointestinal tract.

Entacapone (Comtan), a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for adjunctive use with levodopa/carbidopa in patients with Parkinson's disease who have end-of-dose "wearing off"symptoms.

The FDA has approved cantharidin 0.7% solution (Ycanth – Verrica) for topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in patients ≥2 years old. Ycanth was the first drug to be approved in the US for this indication. A 10.3% gel formulation of berdazimer (Zelsuvmi), a nitric oxide-releasing agent, has also been approved by the FDA for treatment of molluscum contagiosum (in patients ≥1 year old); it will be reviewed in a future issue.

The FDA has approved a 0.25% ophthalmic solution of the ectoparasiticide lotilaner (Xdemvy – Tarsus) for treatment of Demodex blepharitis. Lotilaner is the first drug to be approved in the US for this indication.

The FDA is requiring a new warning in the prescription and over-the-counter labels of the oral second-generation H₁-antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec, and others) and levocetirizine (Xyzal, and others) about the risk of severe pruritus following discontinuation of treatment.