Have you ever avoided a social gathering for fear that your dyskinesia will make you feel embarrassed? Or skipped an event you’d eagerly been awaiting because you unexpectedly felt OFF just before it began? If you’re like many people living with Parkinson’s, the answer to at least one of these questions is yes. The good

Several new clinical trial data analyses support the benefits and superiority of Gocovri (amantadine) over other therapies in lessening off episodes — periods when levodopa treatments stop working and motor symptoms return — and involuntary movements called dyskinesia in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Step therapy processes and rules can vary in terms of how many steps are required. Sometimes a person is required to “fail first” with only one lower-cost medication, while other coverage decisions require a person to “fail first” trying multiple medications.

Throughout the course of Parkinson’s disease, levodopa therapy becomes increasingly complicated by the development of OFF episodes and the emergence of dyskinesia.

When treated with amantadine extended-release capsules (GOCOVRI), patients with Parkinson disease saw improvements in both dyskinesia and motor aspects of experiences of daily living (M-EDLs), namely tremor, freezing, eating, and getting in and out of the seated position, according to findings from 2 randomized phase 3 trials published in ‘Neurology Therapy’.

An executive profile from the San Francisco Business Times.

Gocovri (amantadine) more than doubled the daily time on levodopa-based therapies without any dyskinesia — involuntary, uncontrolled movements — in people with Parkinson’s disease compared to those given a placebo, an analysis of data from two Phase 3 clinical trials showed.

Just over half (53%) of patients treated with the amantadine extended-release agent had greater than 50% reduction in time spent ON with dyskinesia and just over a quarter (27%) of patients had greater than 75% reduction.

Those beginning standard treatment for Parkinson’s tend to experience OFF episodes or dyskinesias. Dr. Adrian Quartel at Adamas Pharmaceuticals explores how those with the disease can have improved quality of life and better wellbeing by treating its myriad complications.