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Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone
Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain to restore dopamine levels, while carbidopa blocks its peripheral conversion and entacapone inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase to extend levodopa's duration of action.
Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain to restore dopamine levels, while carbidopa blocks its peripheral conversion and entacapone inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase to extend levodopa's duration of action. Used for Parkinson's disease with motor fluctuations.
At a glance
| Generic name | Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Stalevo |
| Sponsor | Novartis |
| Drug class | Dopamine precursor with decarboxylase inhibitor and COMT inhibitor |
| Target | Dopamine pathway; COMT enzyme |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Neurology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Levodopa crosses the blood-brain barrier and is converted to dopamine, the neurotransmitter deficient in Parkinson's disease. Carbidopa is a decarboxylase inhibitor that prevents levodopa's conversion to dopamine in the periphery, allowing more to reach the brain and reducing side effects. Entacapone inhibits COMT, an enzyme that metabolizes dopamine, thereby prolonging levodopa's therapeutic effect and reducing motor fluctuations.
Approved indications
- Parkinson's disease
Common side effects
- Dyskinesia
- Motor fluctuations
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Hallucinations
- Urine discoloration
Key clinical trials
- Intestinal Levodopa + Entacapone Therapy (Lecigon®) to Counteract Dopaminergic Desensitization and Neuropsychiatric Complications in Parkinson's Disease (PHASE3)
- Long Term Effectiveness of Levodopa-Entacapone-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel in Participants With Advanced Parkinson's Disease
- Long-Term Observational Study on Effectiveness and Safety of Lecigon in Patients With Advanced Parkinson's Disease
- Gait Analysis in Neurological Disease
- A Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetic Study of ND0612 Delivered as a Continuous Subcutaneous in Parkinson's Disease Patients (PHASE1)
- Basic and Clinical Studies of Levodopa/Carbidopa/Entacapone in the Treatment of Early Parkinson's Disease (PHASE4)
- Bioequivalence Study of Entacapone,Levodopa and Carbidopa Tablets in the Postprandial State in Healthy Chinese Subjects (PHASE1)
- Comparison of Dopamin Level in Idiopathic Parkinson's Patients (PHASE4)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Novartis portfolio CI