Week of February 17 - February 23, 2008

DORVAL, QC, CANADA - For the first time, Canadian Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers will have the visual reassurance of continuous delivery of a medication through the skin. Now there will be no pills to remember, no pills to swallow, and no worries about medication being taken properly. Exelon(*) Patch (rivastigmine), for the symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, is now available in Canada.

Alzheimer's is a chronic condition, for which long-term treatment is a primary goal. Notwithstanding, statistics show that approximately 50 per cent of patients stop treatment with oral cholinesterase inhibitors such as Exelon (typically used to treat the early and middle stage symptoms of Alzheimer's disease) after only six months. Some patients simply forget to take their pills. Some have trouble swallowing them or have difficulty with side effects and stop their medication. Stopping these kinds of medications also stops the benefits. Exelon does not always help. However, if Exelon helps, it does not do so by curing the person. It only helps while a person continues taking it.

The patch optimizes the way the medication is distributed throughout the body and allows patients to reach and maintain the maximum effective dose of medication with three times less reported side effects in comparison to Exelon capsules. Exelon Patch was designed with compliance in mind, and preference study results show that the patch was chosen over Exelon capsules by more than 70 per cent of Alzheimer's caregivers as a method of drug delivery.

The patch provides visual reassurance that medication has been administered, reducing some of the burden associated with caring for a loved one affected by Alzheimer's disease. "I am relieved that a patch will be available for Alzheimer's patients like my husband. This disease is so tough on everyone - the patch is definitely going to make it easier for us," says Anne West, whose husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease seven years ago. "I would like my husband to stay at home with me for as long as possible and with the patch, he and I can both see the medication is being given to him every day as it should be."

Designed to provide smooth and continuous delivery through the skin for a 24-hour period, Exelon Patch offers a unique treatment option that may allow patients to reach and maintain an optimal therapeutic dose for a longer period of time. "The approval of Exelon(*) Patch represents an important development in the treatment of this debilitating disease and responds to a critical need," says Dr. Sandra Black, Professor in the Division of Neurology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "The unique delivery of the patch is very positive news for patients and their caregivers. It allows them to access and stay on the most effective dose with fewer side effects than the oral form. It will be an attractive option for patients that offers the possibility to delay the symptomatic progression of their disease."

More Information:

About Exelon Patch

Exelon Patch belongs to a class of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), which are effective at slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Although effective, ChEIs are commonly associated with gastrointestinal side effects.

Exelon Patch study results demonstrate significant benefits to patients in terms of their memory and ability to perform everyday tasks, as well as helping their overall functioning. It is applied to the back, chest or upper arm, and provides smooth and continuous delivery of medication through the skin over 24 hours. Treatment is initiated with Exelon Patch 5 (9 mg/5 cm2, in vivo release rate of 4.6 mg/24h) once a day. If the starting dose is well tolerated, the dose should be increased to Exelon Patch 10 (18 mg/10 cm2, in vivo release rate of 9.5 mg/24h) after a minimum of four weeks of treatment.

Exelon Patch 10 is the maximum recommended daily maintenance dose. In the international IDEAL (Investigation of transDermal Exelon in ALzheimer's disease) clinical trial involving nearly 1,200 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, the target dose of Exelon Patch 10 was well-tolerated and led to three times fewer reports of nausea and vomiting when compared to the highest doses of Exelon capsules. Ninety-six percent of patients in the Exelon Patch group of the IDEAL study achieved their target dose, indicating that side effects are minimal. The improved tolerability associated with Exelon Patch offers a real potential to lessen the risk of stopping treatment and may help Alzheimer's disease patients live more independently for a longer period of time.

About Alzheimer's Disease

Currently, more than 450,000 Canadians suffer from Alzheimer's or a related disease. In 2008 close to 100,000 Canadians will develop Alzheimer's or a related disease and by 2030 this number is estimated to rise to 750,000, a 65 per cent increase over the current levels. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease that alters the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behaviour.

About Novartis Canada

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., a leader in the healthcare field, is committed to the discovery, development and marketing of innovative products to improve the well-being of all Canadians. In 2006, the Company invested over $69 million in research and development. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs more than 800 people in Canada and its headquarters are located in Dorval, Quebec. In addition to Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., the Novartis Group in Canada consists of Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc., Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc., CIBA Vision Canada Inc. and Sandoz Canada Inc. For further information about Novartis Canada, please consult www.novartis.ca.

About Novartis AG

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 98,200 full-time associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.novartis.com.

(*) Exelon is a registered trademark of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. For further information: Ethan Pigott, Hill & Knowlton, Tel: (416) 413-4744, Mobile: (416) 558-2783, ethan.pigott@hillandknowlton.ca; Sabrina Tremblay, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Tel: (514) 633-7880 ext. 2254, Mobile: (514) 880-9766, sabrina.tremblay@novartis.com

Sources:

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. CNW Press Release

By:

Reviewed for medical accuracy by
Dr. B. Ancselovits, MD, Geriatrician, Alzheimer's Weekly

Edited by Peter Berger, Alzheimer's Weekly

Copyright:

Copyright © 2008 Alzheimer's Weekly. All rights reserved.