The first skin patch for patients with Alzheimer's disease

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The Swiss drug company Novartis announced today that its new product Exelon Patch has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first skin patch for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

The FDA also approved the product for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease dementia, a distinct and common disorder that affects 20 per cent of people diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Exelon Patch maintains steady bloodstream levels of the the drug rivastigmine (a cholinesterase inhibitor) for 24 hours via a transdermal patch that is applied to the back, chest or upper arm of the patient. This method extends the drug's tolerability and its effectiveness over a wider range of patients, some of whom may not be able to take the oral capsule version because of the increased prevalence of gastrointestinal side effects often seen with cholinesterase inhibitors.

Novartis said that innovation wasn't just about developing new drugs but also about finding ways to deliver existing drugs in new ways to meet the needs of patients and caregivers. The new therapy was tested in placebo-controlled clinical trials and improved Alzheimer patients' memory, ability to do everyday things and overall functioning. Also, compared with the oral capsule, the patch version resulted in three times fewer reported incidents of nausea and vomiting. Novartis said the product should be available in US pharmacies soon. It was submitted for approval in the European Union late last year. According to the clinical trial results, the patch was preferred by over 70 per cent of caregivers because it interfered less with their daily life, was easier to use and helped them follow the treatment schedule.

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