New drug may relieve symptoms of Parkinson's

NEW YORK Patients with Parkinson’s disease may soon have a drug that relieves some of the tremors associated with the disease, according a new study.

The drug, istradfeylline, helps dull the symptoms when they return after other Parkinson’s drugs have worn off, a period that specialists call “off” time.

The drug’s developer, Tokyo-based Kyowa Pharmaceuticals, supported a study of 395 Parkinson’s patients using levodopa, also known as L-DOPA, by Duke University’s Medical Center, which found that 24 percent of patients experienced a decrease in symptoms during the “off” time.

But it could be a while before the drug makes its way to pharmacies in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration has refused to approve it, citing lack of sufficient evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness.