Safinamide in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Importance of the field: Current therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) is primarily directed at reversing the motor symptoms that are the consequence of dopamine deficiency and includes levodopa, dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase (MAO) B inhibitors. New drugs offering both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic actions could offer a significant advantage.Areas covered in this review: This review surveys the current treatment strategies for PD. Defining unmet needs and how a new compound – safinamide, which has both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic actions – might address these.What the reader will gain: The reader will gain an understanding of safinamide and its mechanisms of action, including reversible MAOB inhibition and reduced dopamine reuptake with antiglutamatergic effects, and how it may potentially provide improvement of PD motor symptoms with an antidyskinetic effect through its effect on glutamate release. The clinical trial profile of safinamide is reviewed. Early results are promising in ter...