Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., August 28, 2008 Av 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 09:32 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 12:23 27/08/2008
Israeli company develops drug proven to slow progression of Parkinson's
By Yoram Gabison, TheMarker Correspondent, and AP
Tags: health care, Parkinson's 

Azilect not only ameliorates the symptoms of Parkinson's disease - it has been proven to slows the disease's progression, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced Tuesday.

The drug, an original one made by the Israeli drug company, reached all its goals in a Phase III late-stage clinical trial, the company said. It is the only drug known to not only treat the symptoms of Parkinson's, an incurable neurodegenerative condition, but to actually slow the disease.

Azilect, known as rasagiline in its generic form, is already approved to treat symptoms of Parkinson's. But the Israeli drugmaker wants U.S. and European regulators to expand the official labeling of Azilect's approved uses.
Advertisement
In its clinical trial, named "Adagio", patients who took a tablet of Azilect once a day experienced slower disease progression in the early part of the trial and a steadying of symptoms in the last part of the trial, Teva said yesterday. They also experienced a smaller decrease in baseline function.

Parkinson's disease patients who took Azilect tablets once a day from the time when they joined the trial demonstrated significant improvement compared to those who started the drug only nine months later.

In the trial, some patients were given an Azilect tablet once per day for 72 weeks, while others received a placebo for the first 36 weeks before being treated with Azilect. The Azilect tablets were given in strengths of 1 or 2 milligrams.

Adagio, one of the largest studies conducted on Parkinson's, encompassed 1,176 patients with very early-stage disease in 14 countries at 129 medical centers. Results were evaluated with the Total-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, which measures the symptoms and progression of the disease, including its effects on mental state, motor skills and daily activities. The results were presented at the 12th congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies in Madrid, Spain.

"Delaying disease progression is the most important unmet need in the management of Parkinson's disease," stated Prof. C. Warren Olanow, professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and Adagio co-principal investigator.

Azilect sales totaled $42 million in the second quarter of 2008, a 50% increase. Teva hopes Azilect sales will reach at least $1 billion a year. Total sales of drugs for treating Parkinson's are $3.7 billion annually. Teva had already reported in June that Azilect can slow the progress of Parkinson's disease.

Tal Levy adds: "We continue to recommend Teva as a defensive share, in light of the sad macro-economic situation," wrote analysts from the Excellence Nessuah investment house yesterday after Teva made its announcement of the Azilect trial results.

Despite the successful results, Excellence said: "We already knew [about] it in June, when Teva first released the summary results of the trial." The analysts say that since Azilect is profitable similar to Copaxone, with about a 35% operating profit margin, Teva has serious potential for increasing its profits. If Azilect reaches $2 billion in sales, an extreme but not impossible goal, Teva's profits would increase by 20%.

"The rigorous trial design and the fact that all three primary endpoints were met with statistical significance reinforce the quality of the data, supporting the potential for Azilect to have an effect on disease progression," said Professor Olivier Rascol of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Toulouse, France; one of two principal investigators of the trial.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Voice of peace silenced
Israeli peace pioneer Abie Nathan dies aged 81.
DeadSeaScrolls.com
World's oldest Bible fragments to be available online.
  1.   HAND up all the loudmouths who are going to boycott it. 13:12  |  PETER SM 27/08/08
  2.   Good Job! 16:47  |  Jane 27/08/08
  3.   Amazing isn`t it 20:05  |  Daniel 27/08/08
  4.   Parkinson new drug 21:46  |  David 27/08/08
  5.   Azilect 21:54  |  Mildred Lombardi 27/08/08
  6.   Thank you Israel 23:28  |  Gina 27/08/08
  7.   azilect 00:32  |  jj 28/08/08
  8.   to #5 Mildred Lombardi 01:51  |  leo 28/08/08
  9.   Here`s another one for "all mankind" that makes us proud... 02:01  |  bat yam 28/08/08
  10.   Medical news on Haaretz and PressTV Iran. 02:16  |  Maureen Ann 28/08/08
  11.   WHO WILL TAKE IT. 03:11  |  TOBIA 28/08/08
 Read & React
Bradley Burston: What really scares us about Barack Obama
Responses: 129
Haaretz TV: Iran-Israel arms race heats up, both boost naval capabilities
Responses: 50
Moshe Arens: Gov't must act now to eliminate rocket threat against Israel's cities
Responses: 53
Uzi Benziman: U.S. failed in peacemaking since it won't force its views on Israel, PA
Responses: 42


More Headlines
03:03 Diplomat: Russia to up naval presence in Syrian ports
23:34 Israeli peace pioneer Abie Nathan dies aged 81
00:37 Gideon Levy / The last of the dreamers of peace
08:09 Bill Clinton at Democratic convention: I am here first to support Barack Obama
08:08 Police: Grandfather of missing girl hiding info for bargain plea
09:00 'Sick twist': World media plays up story of 'Israeli Madeleine McCann'
08:33 Record yeshiva enrollment predicted to cost economy NIS 5 billion
08:38 Israel to reopen Gaza crossings, let in Palestinians for medical care
02:20 Israel's first solar power station up and running in Negev
13:27 What really scares us about Barack Obama
08:23 Israeli construction manager kidnapped outside his home in Nigeria
08:43 Lebanon seeking arrest of Gaddafi over missing Shi'ite leader
22:07 Iran-Israel arms race heats up, both boost naval capabilities
08:55 Israel's 'Love Bay' reality show halted due to building violations
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
MBA in Israel in English
APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
www. israel-property.com
Hebrew Summer courses
From $39.95
ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved