Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease  is Orion’s strongest area of expertise. Along with the development of selegiline and entacapone, Orion has accumulated unique knowhow about the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Stalevo and Comtess/Comtan are  based on the entacapone molecule discovery, and they are by far the brightest stars in Orion's product portfolio.

Entacapone, COMT-inhibitor

Entacapone is a substance which enhances the effect of levodopa, the basic medication used for Parkinson's disease, by inhibiting an enzyme called COMT. Entacapone is always taken together with levodopa. Entacapone was launched in Europe in 1998, and a year later in the United States. Orion markets entacapone under the name Comtess®. In countries where Orion doesn’t have its own sales organisation, it is sold by the partner Novartis as Comtan®. Comtess/Comtan is the first major globally sold drug originated by Orion.

Further research led to the launch of Stalevo, in 2003. Stalevo is an enhanced levodopa treatment containing three active substances in one tablet: the basic treatment levodopa and the enzyme inhibitors entacapone and carbidopa, in optimised proportions. Long-term clinical experience has established Stalevo as a standard medication for advanced Parkinson’s patients experiencing so-called end-of-dose wearing-off symptoms associated with levodopa therapy.

Selegiline, MAO-B inhibitor

Orion’s first drug for the disease was selegiline, an MAO-B enzyme inhibitor, sold under the trade names Eldepryl® and Movergan®. Orion acquired the rights to selegiline at a very early development stage of the molecule.  The treatment came onto the market in 1982.