Schwarz Pharma has developed the drug Neupro. This drug helps in controlling the Parkinson?s disease with a transdermal patch. Neupro has the active ingredient like rotigotine is a non-ergolinic dopamine receptor-agonist formulated as a transdermal delivery system, a patch, designed for once a day application and provides rotigotine continuously to the body for 24 hours. Multinational clinical studies in patients in early stages Parkinson's disease were completed at the end of 2003. In the 15 clinical trials, more than 1,500 patients with Parkinson?s disease have been treated with rotigotine transdermal patch. Rotigotine exhibits a D3/D2/D1 receptor profile, rapid metabolism and low potential of pharmacokinetic drug-to-drug interactions. The patch administration of rotigotine offers the convenience of once a day dosing as well as a simple titration scheme.

Results of a rotigotine phase III study conducted in Europe show that the rotigotine transdermal patch is also effective in treating patients with advanced Parkinson?s disease. This outcome does confirm favorable results from a phase III study completed in the USA at the end of 2004. Schwarz Pharma also plans to submit marketing applications in the US and Europe at the end of 2006.

Schwarz Pharma is also going to develop a rotigotine patch for treating Restless Legs Syndrome. The double-blind and placebo-controlled phase III trial program started in May 2005; first results are expected in the first quarter of the year 2007.

Parkinson?s disease is a disease of the central nervous system. The patients roughly four million worldwide are suffering from a lack of dopamine, a messenger substance in the central nervous system, which is responsible for the coordination of movement. As a result of this shortage, the patients are no longer able to control their movements reliably. Dopamine agonists attempt to compensate for this lack of the dopamine.