Opicapone’s launch date

In June 2016, opicapone was approved for use by the European Medicines Agency and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2020 for use as adjuvant therapy with levodopa and carbidopa in adult patients with Parkinson's disease and end-dose motor fluctuations. It is marketed as a once-daily oral capsule under the trade name Ongentys.

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive, incurable, idiopathic neurodegenerative disease. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can improve the quality of life and reduce symptoms of these patients. The disease may present with motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, and rigidity, but may also present with non-motor symptoms including anxiety, leg pain, sleep disturbance, urinary problems, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue. Opicaponeis aCOMT inhibitor specifically designed to overcome the disadvantages associated with the use of older generation drugs. It is a long-acting and peripherally selective inhibitor (increasing the half-life of levodopa, while central inhibitors slow down its metabolism within the central nervous system) and can be taken once daily, which makes treatment more convenient. In addition, compared with tolcapone, opicapone is well tolerated and has a reduced risk of hepatotoxicity and fulminant liver injury.

Opicapone has not yet been launched in the country, so it is not covered by medical insurance. The European version of Opicapone’s original drug specifications listed overseasThe price per box of 50mg*90 capsules is around RMB 6,000 (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). There is currently no generic version of Opicapone on the market. For more drug information and specific prices, please consult Yaode’s medical consultant.