CHENNAI / March 17, 2021: India is emerging as a hot spot for Parkinson’s disease, said world’s top
experts assembled at the Academic Symposium on Advanced Parkinson’s Disease held at Westminster
Hospital in Chennai. The country is home to about 580,000 Parkinson’s patients, a figure expected to
double by 2030. Most studies on the disease in India show a prevalence of about 120 cases per 100,000
population. Though majority of patients are above 50 years of age, the incidence in younger population
is also on the rise. The medical community has few insights into the genetic and environmental risk
factors for Parkinson’s Disease specific to India, in the absence of a national registry of patients. This is
alarming considering that Parkinson’s is set to emerge as a major non-communicable degenerative
disorder to burden the healthcare system of India, said the doctors.
In a boon to patients of Parkinson’s Disease in Chennai, advanced D-mine apomorphine pumps and pens
(injections) manufactured by German pharma major Ever Pharma have been launched at the event by
Celera Neuro Sciences. These third-generation apomorphine-delivery devices, widely used in Europe,
are now available for patients at Westminster Hospital.
Said Dr. Babu Narayanan, Medical Director, Celera Neuro Sciences: “This is for the first time in India
that advanced European apomorphine devices are available for Parkinson’s patients, who till now had
only two options for treatment: oral pills for early stages of the disease, or Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
surgery for advanced stages which is expensive and not recommended for patients above 70 years. The
D-mine pumps and pens fill this gap and offer an important medical option in the management of
Parkinson’s. They ensure much better outcomes for patients who haven’t achieved optimum benefits
with available drugs or are suffering from side-effects of oral medications.”
Said Dr. Vinod Metta, Director – Movement Disorders & Parkinson’s Centre of Excellence at King’s
College Hospital, London, who was present at the launch of D-mine pumps and pens at Westminster
Hospital: “Apomorphine therapy gives relief during off periods when medication, namely levodopa, is
not working optimally. As a result, patients start having symptoms like tremors, rigidity and anxiety.
Several studies show 50% daily off time in patients. Apomorphine therapy delivered through a
continuous-infusion pump reduces requirement of levodopa and eliminates or substantially reduces the
need for oral medication. Motor fluctuations also disappear in patients with apomorphine therapy.”
PRESS RELEASE
Added Dr Arun Kulanthaivelu, President, Westminster Hospitals, Chennai: “We are delighted to offer
world-class apomorphine therapy, widely used in Europe, to patients in Chennai through the D-mine
pumps and pens. The current pumps available in India are not patient-friendly and lack reliability.
Patients need to refill them after breaking ampules of apomorphine, which is difficult to do with
trembling hands. In contrast, D-mine apomorphine pumps can be self-handled by patients in five easy
steps. The pump-filling process is controlled electronically, with high safety and convenience. D-mine
pumps are pre-filled and offer continuous infusion of apomorphine, leading to absorption within five
minutes. This will be a big boon for Parkinson’s patients, positively impacting their quality of life.”
Parkinson’s patients need to take medications at timely intervals, which often leads to fluctuating levels
of medication in their bodies and irregular benefits. Continuous Dopaminergic Therapy is a method by
which the body receives dopamine on a continuous basis, because of which fluctuations associated with
medications are negated significantly. With the launch of D-mine apomorphine continuous-infusion
pumps and injection pens, Indian patients can now benefit from third-generation Continuous
Dopaminergic Therapy, which till now was available only in Western countries.
Patients can call the 24-hour helpline number 044-46276262 for any query about
apomorphine therapy. —————————————————————- For more information, please contact Perfect Relations:
