Assistant professor of neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

Jennifer S. Hui, MD

“In general, the development of on-demand therapies can be quite groundbreaking in the overall treatment of Parkinson disease. Previously, we’ve really relied on the scheduled dosing of medicine…once per day, three times per day—in the case of levodopa sometimes 10 times per day. So the development of on-demand therapies really changes the landscape.”

2021 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting

, April 17-22, Jennifer S. Hui, MD, assistant professor of neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, presented data from a study of the on-demand Parkinson disease (PD) agent sublingual apomorphine (Kynmobi; Sunovion). The data suggested that when patients were administered the treatment, they had greater motor improvement and a higher rate of responders at earlier time points compared to levodopa—the gold standard for PD.

According to Hui and her co-investigators, the data further support the use of sublingual apomorphine in patients with a delayed ON response to levodopa. All told, the predose mean Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III scores were comparable (apomorphine, 41.9; levodopa, 42.2), and the mean motor response, respectively, was approximately 2-fold higher 15 minutes postdose for the sublingual agent (–13.9) compared to levodopa (–6.7). It additionally remained higher at 30 minutes (–22.9 vs –16.3, respectively), with the levodopa peak response occurring at 60 minutes (–24.3 vs –24.4, respectively).

To find out more about the impact that on-demand therapies have had on treating PD and if they live up to the gold standard set by levodopa, 

 caught up with Hui. She offered her perspective on the data, and how these agents have improved the approach to the somewhat unpredictable nature of OFF time. Hui also detailed what else she’d like to see explored regarding sublingual apomorphine’s use in this population.

REFERENCE
Hui J, Fox S, Neeson W, et al. Motor Responses to Apomorphine Sublingual Film Compared With Levodopa in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease and “OFF” Episodes. Presented at 2021 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 17-22. Abstract P2077

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The assistant professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California discussed the importance of having additional agents to treat Parkinson disease.

Living Up to the Gold Standard in Parkinson Disease: Jennifer S. Hui, MD

“Overall, I think [this study] is clinically important in gathering information on how sublingual apomorphine might be used in the context of patients’ regular levodopa dose, knowing that patients’ typical levodopa dose can be taken every 3 to 4 hours. This is a good way to fill in the gaps, if you will, between their ON time.”

A recent study of sublingual apomorphine (Kynmobi; Sunovion) including 384 patients with Parkinson disease who received the treatment or levodopa showed greater motor improvement and a higher rate of responders at earlier time points for the sublingual agent. These data, according to the investigators, including Jennifer S. Hui, MD, further support its use in patients with a delayed ON response to levodopa.

All told, the predose mean Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III scores were comparable (apomorphine, 41.9; levodopa, 42.2), and the mean motor response, respectively, was approximately 2-fold higher 15 minutes postdose for the sublingual agent (–13.9) compared to levodopa (–6.7). It additionally remained higher at 30 minutes (–22.9 vs –16.3, respectively), with the levodopa peak response occurring at 60 minutes (–24.3 vs –24.4, respectively).

Hui, who is an assistant professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, spoke with 

 about her presentation of the data at the 

, April 17-22. She shared her insight into the findings, the therapy’s potential advantages for patients with Parkinson disease, including how bypassing the gastrointestinal tract can offer a positive.

The assistant professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California shared her insight into the study data and the therapy’s potential advantages for patients with Parkinson disease.

Jennifer S. Hui, MD

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Living Up to the Gold Standard in Parkinson Disease: Jennifer S. Hui, MD

Advantages of Sublingual Apomorphine in Parkinson Disease: Jennifer S. Hui, MD

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