The Current Evidence for the Use of Safinamide for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Parkinson's therapeutic interventions are only symptomatic. An optimal treatment should therefore address the largest number of motor and non-motor symptoms, to manage patients at best. Safinamide is one of the most recent approved drugs for fluctuating patients, in add-on to levodopa, that remains the gold standard treatment. It has a unique mechanism of action, both dopaminergic (as MAO-B inhibitor) and glutamatergic (through Na+ channel blockade). Results from Phase III trials, post-hoc analyses and real-life experiences suggest a beneficial effect on motor (such as tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and gait) and non-motor (pain, mood, sleep) symptoms.

AREAS COVERED:

Here, the authors discuss clinical efficacy and safety of safinamide, identifying the patients' profiles that could benefit most. A search in PubMed was performed in September 2020, with no time limits. Publications' abstracts were reviewed.

CONCLUSION:

Safinamide is peculiar due to its double mechanism of action. Its benefits in improving motor functions and fluctuations, and some non-motor symptoms, could have a valuable impact on patients' quality of life (QoL), together with its safety profile.

• Authors: Giovanni Abbruzzese, Paolo Barone, Leonardo Lopiano, Fabrizio Stocchi
• Journal: Drug design, development and therapy (Drug Des Devel Ther) Vol. 15 Pg. 2507-2517 ( 2021) ISSN: 1177-8881 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 34140766 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: © 2021 Abbruzzese et al.

Chemical References

• Antiparkinson Agents
• Benzylamines
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
• Levodopa
• safinamide
• Alanine

Topics

• Alanine (administration & dosage, adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Animals
• Antiparkinson Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Benzylamines (administration & dosage, adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Humans
• Levodopa (administration & dosage)
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (pharmacology)
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy)
• Quality of Life
• Treatment Outcome