Valeant Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval of Zelapar(R) for Patients with Parkinson's Disease:
"Parkinson's disease or PD is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system that belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders. In the United States, 1.5 million Americans currently have the disease, and it's estimated that 60,000 new patients are diagnosed each year. The disease affects both men and women equally and shows no social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has received FDA approval for Zelapar(R) (selegiline HCL) Orally Disintegrating Tablets, a once-daily adjunct therapy for Parkinson's disease patients being treated with levodopa/carbidopa who exhibit deterioration in the quality of their response to this therapy. Zelapar is the first Parkinson's disease treatment to use a novel delivery system called Zydis(R) Technology, which allows the oral tablets to dissolve within seconds and deliver more active drug at a lower dose. By delivering a more active drug, patients also can control their symptoms longer."