Long-Term Data With SB's Ropinirole

According to results of a one-year study presented at the AmericanAcademy of Neurology, SmithKline Beecham's potent, non-ergoline dopamine D2 agonist ReQuip (ropinirole) can effectively control motor symptoms in patients with early Parkinson's disease, without the need for levodopa supplementation in a large number of patients.

Of the 147 patients included in the trial, 44% of the ropinirole-treated group did not require levodopa supplementation over the 12-month period, compared to 22.4% of the placebo group. At the end of the trial period, only 19% of the treated group required additional symptomatic therapy with levodopa, against 45.6% of the patients receiving placebo.

Side effects, including nausea, dizziness and somnolence were reported, but the incidence of hallucinations was low, says the company; 7.2% of the ropinirole-treated group versus 2.6% of the placebo-treated group. ReQuip is available in the UK, and is currently under review at the US Food and Drug Administration as an early monotherapy and as an adjunct to levodopa.