Opicapone helps prolong plasma levodopa levels in patients with Parkinson’s

[Farooqji]

- Once-daily opicapone 50 mg with carbidopa/levodopa helped achieve and maintain plasma concentrations of levodopa in patients with PD.- Maximum COMT inhibition was nearly 85% at day 14.

- Adding once-daily opicapone 50 mg to carbidopa/levodopa therapy helped achieve and maintain plasma concentrations of levodopa in patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to research in Clinical Neuropharmacology.

“The findings presented in this study address a major unmet need in the treatment of PD and more consistent delivery of [levodopa] to the brain, which continues to be a challenge for optimizing treatment of PD,” Eiry W. Roberts, MD, chief medical officer at Neurocrine Biosciences, told

healio.com/news/neurology/2...

[Farooqji]

From WikipediaOpicapone, works to restore the levels of dopamine in the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination.[4] It enhances the effects of levodopa, a copy of the neurotransmitter dopamine that can be taken by mouth.[4] Opicapone blocks an enzyme that is involved in the breakdown of levodopa in the body called catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).[3][4] As a result, levodopa remains active for longer.[4] This helps to improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as stiffness and slowness of movement.[4]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opi...

[Kiryn in reply to Farooqji]

Hi Farooqji,

Are there any recommendations about the optimum time of day to take Opicapone, please? The instructions with the 50mg capsules I take say that it should be taken just before going to bed, but wouldn’t it be better to take it first thing in the morning to clear the way for my Sinamet levodopa tablets?

Kind regards

Ken

[Farooqji in reply to Kiryn]

Opicapone is usually taken at bedtime, on an empty stomach. Do not eat for at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after taking this medicine.

peacehealth.org/medical-top....

[LAJ12345]

My husband is taking 1/2 entacapone (which is also a comt inhibitor) tablet with each madopar fast acting plus a MP. He is doing really well again. Very happy at the moment.

[HekateMoon]

I take opicapone. 10pm at night. 11pm i take my last madopar and other supplements. Sleep like a log...probably it expands madopar life by half an hr i 45 min a dose...not bad.