Canadians Living with Advanced Parkinson's Disease Now Have Broader Access to NEUPRO® (rotigotine) As Add-On Therapy

OAKVILLE, ON, June 13, 2018 /CNW/ - UCB Canada Inc. announced today that NEUPRO® (rotigotine) is now available through public funding (special authorization) all across Canada*, in combination with the drug levodopa for the treatment of patients with advanced stage Parkinson's Disease (APD). Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease¹ that affects approximately 100,000 Canadians.²  Currently there is no cure, but medication can treat the debilitating symptoms.²

"It's encouraging for patients living with Parkinson's and their caregivers to know that they have treatment options at every stage of this life-changing disease. As a condition that manifests itself differently from person to person, and gets worse over time, symptom control is critical," says Joyce Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, Parkinson Canada. "When patients have therapies that help in terms of enabling day-to-day functioning, it also improves quality of life for their spouses. Medication like NEUPRO means that both the person with Parkinson's, and consequently their care partner, may get a better night's sleep, and often a better start to the next day. This is indeed good news."

About NEUPRO³
Approved in Canada in 2013, NEUPRO is the first and only non-ergolinic dopamine agonist available in a patch, and provides 24-hour delivery of rotigotine through the skin into the blood stream.  NEUPRO has demonstrated efficacy in managing motor symptoms associated with APD. Its effectiveness in APD was evaluated in a multinational drug development program consisting of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials. The two trials of NEUPRO in patients with APD examined change from baseline in "off" periods, when the effectiveness of medication wears off and PD symptoms return. Statistically significant changes in off-times were observed in APD patients receiving NEUPRO compared to those on placebo.

"I am very satisfied to know that even more of my patients on levodopa will have access to NEUPRO, a dopamine agonist with a unique mechanism of action, for which effectiveness and safety have been demonstrated over the past decade. This can translate into improved quality of life and functioning during daily activities as a result of sustained symptom control, for example at nighttime. Plus, NEUPRO's patch delivery system increases patient compliance by reducing the significant pill burden for patients, including those who have difficulty swallowing," says Dr. Alfonso Fasano, a neurologist with the Movement Disorders Clinic at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario.

Important and complete safety information about NEUPRO can be found by accessing the product monograph.

About Parkinson's Disease^{1, 2}
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is one of the common illnesses of the nervous system.  It is mainly identified by a loss of the ability to move normally. These changes appear slowly and gradually become worse over time. The symptoms of PD include movement (motor) symptoms including tremors (uncontrollable shaking), rigidity (stiffness or muscle tensing) and bradykinesia (slowness and loss of spontaneous movement).  Parkinson's can progress at a different rate for each person. As symptoms change, medication will need to be adjusted. As the disease progresses, non-motor symptoms may also appear, such as depression, difficulty swallowing, sexual problems or cognitive changes.

About Parkinson Canada
Parkinson Canada provides services and education to people living with Parkinson's disease, their families, and the healthcare professionals who treat them. Operating since 1965, the organization advocates on issues that concern the Parkinson's community in Canada. The Parkinson Canada Research Program funds innovative research for better treatments and a cure. A national registered charity, Parkinson Canada fulfils its mission through the generosity of donors and is an accredited organization under the Imagine Canada Standards Program. Parkinson Canada participates in numerous coalitions and partnerships to effectively fulfil its mission. www.parkinson.ca.

About UCB Canada Inc.
Inspired by patients and driven by science, UCB Canada Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe auto-immune and central nervous system diseases. For more information, please consult www.ucb.com/worldwide/canada.

References

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¹ Understanding Parkinson's. Parkinson Canada. http://www.parkinson.ca/about-parkinsons/understanding-parkinsons/ Accessed April 3, 2018.
² Parkinson's Disease. An Introductory Guide. (Postuma, Anang). McGill University Health Centre and Parkinson Canada. 2017. Parkinson's Canada. 2017. http://www.muhcpatienteducation.ca/DATA/GUIDE/313_en~v~parkinson-s-disease-pdf-.pdf Accessed April 3, 2018.
³ NEUPRO Product Monograph. https://www.ucb-canada.ca/en/Our-Medicines/overview Accessed April 3, 2018.

*except in British Columbia

SOURCE UCB Canada Inc.

Rebecca Krauss, Cohn & Wolfe, Tel: [phone] ext. 4055, [email protected]; Ben Faienza, UCB Canada Inc., Tel: [phone], [email protected]