Only News Photos Video/Audio DRUG MAY CUT TREMORS ASSOCIATED WITH PARKINSONS _Mon Jun 2, 11:47 PM ET_ MONDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) A new drug may help people with Parkinsons diseasebat the tics, spasms and tremors they experience when their main medications wear off, a new study suggests.Istradfeylline works by helping nerve and brain signals bypass the damaged dopamine system in the brain that leads to Parkinsons.Study of 395 Parkinsons patients on levodopa, a popular Parkinsons drug, found those using istradefylline experienced 24 percent less "off" time, defined as when the physical symptoms appear after levodopa wears off.Group of those studied who took a placebo showed a 10 percent decrease in "off" time."These results suggest that istradefylline is effective as an add-on therapy to other drugs that treat symptoms of Parkinsons disease.Importantly, this medication seems to improve off time in a population in which more than 90 percent of patients are already being treated with two or more drugs," study author Dr.Stacy, of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.Said in a prepared statement.The findings, published in the June 3 issue of _Neurology_, may not mean relief ising soon for Parkinsons sufferers, at least in the United States.March, the U.And Drug Administration refused to approve the drug, calling evidence of its effectiveness insufficient.Drugs manufacturer, Kyowa Pharmaceuticals Inc.Suspended development of istradefylline in North America.The study was supported by Kyowa Pharmaceutical.Is a novel drug approach to Parkinsons.Disease is usually treated with medications that work on dopamine, but their effectiveness wears off after time.Appears to connect with receptors other than dopamine to openmunication with the brain.And other agents in the same class that work in a different area of the brain are an important step forward when treating patients who experience this wearing off phenomenon and side effects related to dopaminergic drugs," Stacy said.MORE INFORMATION We Move has more about .Yahoo!RMEND THIS STORY Rmend It: Not at All Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly Average (Not Rated) _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _Reuters_ _AP_ _AP_ _ WCCO Minneapolis - Mon Jun 2, 7:50 PM ET_ _ AP - Mon Jun 2, 2:45 PM ET_ _ ABC News - Mon Jun 2, 4:01 PM ET_ _ ABC News - Mon Jun 2, 1:02 PM ET_ Sponsored Links ( ) $300,000 Mortgage for only $965/month.- No obligation. Health Video Yahoo!Topic Pages In-depth coverage on topics such as and .Elsewhere On The Web ABC NEWS: ABC NEWS: TIME: YAHOO!How to give and get perfectly good stuff for free, reducing waste.From Y!Find answers on Yahoo!Add Headlines To Your Personalized My Yahoo!Health - HealthDay Medications/Drugs News Seniors/Aging News NEWS ALERTS __ Get an alert when there are new stories about: Duke University Medical Center symptoms of Parkinsonu0027s disease HealthDay News - - SEARCH: All News Yahoo!Only News Photos Video/Audio PRIMARY NAVIGATION Copyright 2008 HealthDay.Rights reserved.Information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only.Is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam.The advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment.Read more Rituximab added to six cycles of chemotherapy improves survival in elderly patients with aggressive lymphoma
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