Drug Candidates in Pipeline Offer Potential for Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Market, Says Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, December 9 - The Parkinson's disease therapeutics market in 2008 amounted to over US$1
billion in the European Union (EU), which includes total sales of
carbidopa/levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, COMT inhibitors and
anticholinergics used for disease symptom relief. With the introduction of
newer dopamine agonists as well as fresh recommendations and treatment
guidelines that call for using dopamine agonists as first-line therapy, the
market is experiencing a shift away from the use of carbidopa/levodopa.

(Logo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO)

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.pharma.frost.com),
European Markets for Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics, finds that the market
earned revenues of over US$1.28 billion in 2008 and estimates this to reach
US$2.28 billion in 2015.

"Although prescriptions for Sinemet and Sinemet controlled release (CR)
continue to be written to a large extent, dopamine agonists prescriptions are
increasing as well," says Frost & Sullivan Programme manager Paljit Sohal.
"Other drugs account for a relatively small portion of the total
prescriptions, while some, such as the catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT)
inhibitors are directly linked with Sinemet prescriptions."

The introduction of Mirapex and Requip has been largely responsible for
driving the market over the recent period. The increased use of these
medications is spurred by the recent announcements from key physician groups
recommending their use in early-stage Parkinson's disease and calling for
delay in the use of carbidopa/levodopa due to concerns over the development
of clinically relevant dyskinesias.

However, there are considerable chances for physicians to misdiagnose
Parkinson's disease. The number of cases that go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed
each year range from approximately 20.0 per cent to 40.0 per cent of the
total cases. In most cases, the disease is not diagnosed until 80 per cent of
the dopamine-producing neurotransmitters are depleted. Earlier diagnosis and
treatment has the potential to greatly improve prognosis.

"An estimated one million patients are afflicted with the disease and as
many as 4,00,000 are improperly diagnosed or under-diagnosed," explains Ms.
Sohal. "Recognising the early signs of the disease and making a referral to a
neurologist represent the potential for the disease to go undiagnosed."

Biomarkers and imaging techniques are likely to improve the diagnosis of
the condition at a much earlier stage and hence, their development should be
supported. High-risk individuals must be identified prior to clinical onset
of the disease and disease progression along with response to various
therapies should be monitored.

"Market participants should collaborate with neurologists and physicians
to improve the rate and the process of diagnosis," concludes Ms. Sohal. "This
will expand the target population and thereby, market revenues."

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides a brief
synopsis of the research and a table of contents, then send an e-mail to
Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com, with your
full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address,
company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above
information, a brochure will be sent to you by e-mail.

European Markets for Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics is part of the
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology Growth Partnership Services programme, which
also includes research in the following markets: European Biosimilars Market
Outlook, Eastern Drug Delivery Markets - Opportunity Analysis, and European
Lung Cancer Therapeutics Markets. All research services included in
subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that
have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

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European Markets for Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics (M32D)

    Contact:
    Katja Feick
    Corporate Communications - Europe
    P: +49-(0)-69-7703343
    E: katja.feick@frost.com

www.frost.com

Katja Feick, Corporate Communications - Europe, Frost & Sullivan, +49-(0)-69-7703343, katja.feick at frost.com