Aim: Evaluate timing of motor improvement with carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) and apomorphine sublingual film (SL-APO) in patients with Parkinson's disease and OFF episodes. Methods: A post hoc pooled analysis from two studies assessed Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III) scores and investigator-rated FULL ON. Results: At 15 and 30 min following the prescribed first daily CD/LD dose, mean improvements in MDS-UPDRS-III scores were -6.7 and -16.3, respectively, and FULL ON was achieved by 6.5 and 41.8% of patients. Following an optimized SL-APO dose, mean improvements in MDS-UPDRS-III scores were -13.9 and -22.9, and FULL ON was achieved by 34.7 and 81.0% of patients. Conclusion: Concomitant administration of SL-APO with carbidopa/levodopa may be useful for delayed ON.
Keywords: Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III; OFF episodes; Parkinson's disease; apomorphine sublingual film; carbidopa/levodopa; delayed ON; morning OFF.