AbbVie’s Duodopa® (levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel) recommended for use within NHS Wales

MAIDENHEAD, UK, 26 March 2018 – AbbVie, a global research and development-based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that its advanced Parkinson’s therapy, Duodopa®, has been recommended for use within NHS Wales, following an assessment by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG)¹. Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel is recommended for the treatment of advanced levodopa-responsive Parkinson’s with severe motor fluctuations and hyperkinesia or dyskinesia when available combinations of Parkinson medicinal products have not given satisfactory results, and when patients are not eligible for deep brain stimulation.

AbbVie UK General Manager, Jerome Bouyer, said: “We welcome the news that the AWMSG has recommended Duodopa® for this population of patients with advanced Parkinson’s. NHS Health Boards in Wales must now ensure that the therapy is made available within the statutory two months of the publication of the final guidance, as mandated by the Wales new treatment fund. A small number of patients rely on Duodopa® so it’s critical that they get swift access to the therapy that they need.”

The projected 2018 prevalence of Parkinson’s in Wales is 7,692² .Parkinson’s is a condition that leads to a loss of the chemical dopamine in the brain, which controls movement and balance.³Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel is administered directly through the intestine, bypassing the stomach, and may be prescribed for some people with Parkinson’s who have tried other combinations of medicines but do not have satisfactory control of their motor symptoms (movement and balance).⁴

Steve Ford, Chief Executive, Parkinson’s UK commented: “This is good news for people living with advanced Parkinson’s in Wales, some of whom may have no other viable treatment option available to them.”

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) contains the medicines levodopa and carbidopa. LCIG is delivered continuously and directly into the intestine via a tube that passes through the abdominal wall. LCIG is delivered via a pump that is carried by the patient during the day. If medically justified, LCIG may also be administered during the night.⁴

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel is not suitable for all patients and therefore the SmPC should be referred to for full details and side effects. Please visit https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6231.

Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. Adverse events should also be reported to AbbVie UK Ltd. Please contact ukadverseevents@abbvie.com. With biological medicines, healthcare professionals should report adverse reactions by brand name and batch number.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

About Parkinson’s

• The projected 2018 prevalence of Parkinson’s in Wales is 7,692² .Parkinson’s is a condition in which part of the brain becomes progressively damaged over many years. Itis caused by a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain responsible for producing a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body and a reduction in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.³
• The main symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement, these are often called motor symptoms.As well as affecting movement, people with Parkinson's can find that other issues, such as tiredness, pain, depression and constipation, can have an impact on their day-to-day lives. The symptoms someone has and how quickly the condition develops will differ from one person to the next. Most people with Parkinson’s start to develop symptoms when they’re over 50, although around 1 in 20 people with the condition first experience symptoms when they’re under 40.³
• The term 'advanced Parkinson's' usually refers to a time when symptoms are more complex and have more of an effect on day-to-day life.People at this stage may find that they are no longer able to do tasks such as washing and dressing without help from someone else, perhaps a carer. Around 10% per cent of people with Parkinson’s progress toadvanced stage.⁵

UK media contacts

Sarah Beck

sarah.beck@abbvie.com

+44 (0)7818 428111

References

¹ AWMSG Final Appraisal Recommendation, ref 3397 http://www.awmsg.org/awmsgonline/app/appraisalinfo/3397, (last accessed, March 2018)

² Parkinson’s UK, The Incidence and Prevalence of Parkinson’s in the UK; Results from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Summary report http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-01/CS2960%20Incidence%20and%20prevalence%20report%20branding%20summary%20report.pdf(last accessed, March 2018)

³ NHS Choices. Parkinson’s Disease http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Parkinsons-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx (last accessed, March 2018)

⁴ Electronic Medicines Compendium, Duodopa Summary of Product Characteristics

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6231 (last accessed, March 2018)

⁵ Worth P. When the going gets tough: how to select patients with Parkinson’s disease for advanced therapies, Pract. Neurol. 2013;0:1-13