Kyowa Kirin Launches New Effort to Educate Patients About the Role of Adenosine in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Treatment of "Off" Episodes with NOURIANZ® (istradefylline)

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Sep 29, 2022, 08:35 ET

New content simplifies science, brings experience of "off" time to life
Half of PD patients experience "off" episodes, including problems with movement, within 5 years of starting levodopa/carbidopa treatment

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyowa Kirin, Inc., an affiliate of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the launch of new assets to help educate and empower adult patients to talk to their PD care team about the management of 'off' episodes, including treatment options like NOURIANZ^® (istradefylline). The effort includes an updated patient website (www.Nourianz.com) with dynamic content, a patient video, and resources that explain the role of dopamine and adenosine in Parkinson's disease, and how NOURIANZ is used with levodopa and carbidopa to treat adults with PD who are having "off" episodes. It is not known if NOURIANZ is safe and effective in children.

"People living with Parkinson's and their families want the moments that matter to them, which may become difficult when they experience 'off' episodes," said Ricky Tuazon, Vice President, CNS Franchise Head, Kyowa Kirin, Inc. "To help patients have more informed discussions with their PD care team, our new effort uses creative content to engage the viewer and explain the important role adenosine plays in movement and how Nourianz is believed to work."

The most common side effects of NOURIANZ include uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucinations, and problems sleeping (insomnia). These are not all the possible side effects of NOURIANZ. Please see Important Safety Information below.

Simplifying a complex scientific story

Adenosine and dopamine are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that normally work together in balance to control movement. However, in Parkinson's disease there is too little dopamine activity and too much adenosine activity. This imbalance can cause PD symptoms, such as difficulty moving.

Many treatments for PD, like levodopa/carbidopa, focus on increasing dopamine activity. But as the disease progresses, patients can experience "off" episodes when the full effects of levodopa/carbidopa start to wear off, allowing Parkinson's symptoms to return.

To help explain this to patients, new content features a simple gas/brake analogy, brought to life through illustrations and dynamic video animation, to spotlight the role of dopamine and adenosine in Parkinson's disease and how NOURIANZ is believed to work. Visitors to the NOURIANZ website can also hear how a patient and his care partner are navigating their Parkinson's journey, including how they recognized and addressed "off" episodes together with their doctor. To help patients navigate their PD journey, additional resources are also available on the site for download.

The new content is part of a continuing effort to educate patients and healthcare professionals through a mix of personal, print, and digital communications and virtual programming. Physicians can visit the NOURIANZ website for healthcare professionals to learn more about the role of adenosine and NOURIANZ clinical data, and to access tools to aid in patient education.

What is NOURIANZ?

NOURIANZ^® (istradefylline) is a prescription medicine used with levodopa and carbidopa to treat adults with Parkinson's disease who are having "off" episodes. It is not known if NOURIANZ is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

Before taking NOURIANZ, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

have a history of abnormal movement (dyskinesia)
have reduced liver function
smoke cigarettes
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. NOURIANZ may harm your unborn baby
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if NOURIANZ passes into breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take NOURIANZ or breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

NOURIANZ and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. NOURIANZ may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how NOURIANZ works.

NOURIANZ may cause serious side effects, including:

uncontrolled sudden movements (dyskinesia). Uncontrolled sudden movements is one of the most common side effects.
hallucinations and other symptoms of psychosis. NOURIANZ can cause abnormal thinking and behavior, including:

being overly suspicious or feeling people want to harm you (paranoid ideation)
believing things that are not real (delusions)
seeing or hearing things that are not real (hallucinations)
confusion
increased activity or talking (mania)
disorientation
aggressive behavior
agitation
delirium (decreased awareness of things around you)

unusual urges (impulse control or compulsive behaviors). Some people taking NOURIANZ get urges to behave in a way unusual for them. Examples of this are unusual urges to gamble, increased sexual urges, strong urges to spend money, binge eating, and the inability to control these urges.

If you or your family notices that you are developing any new or unusual symptoms or behaviors, talk to your healthcare provider.

The most common side effects of NOURIANZ include uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucinations, and problems sleeping (insomnia).

These are not all the possible side effects of NOURIANZ.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see Patient Information for NOURIANZ.

About Kyowa Kirin

Kyowa Kirin strives to create and deliver novel medicines with life-changing value. As a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company with a more than 70-year heritage, the company applies cutting-edge science, including expertise in antibody research and engineering, to address the needs of patients across multiple therapeutic areas such as nephrology, oncology, immunology/allergy and neurology. Across its four regions – Japan, Asia Pacific, North America and EMEA/International – Kyowa Kirin focuses on its purpose, to make people smile, and is united by its shared values of commitment to life, teamwork, innovation and integrity.

Learn more about the Company at www.kyowakirin.com.

SOURCE Kyowa Kirin