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Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD)
Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) is a Dopamine precursor with peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor Small molecule drug developed by AbbVie. It is currently in Phase 3 development for Parkinson's disease, Restless legs syndrome (off-label use).
Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain to replace deficient neurotransmitter levels, while carbidopa inhibits premature conversion in the periphery, allowing more levodopa to reach the central nervous system.
Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) is a medication used to treat Parkinson's Disease, specifically motor fluctuations in advanced cases. It works by inhibiting the enzyme aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylase, which is involved in the breakdown of levodopa.
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Baseline phase 3 → approval rate
+58.3pp
Industry-wide phase 3 drugs reach approval ~58.3% of the time (BIO/Informa 2023 industry benchmark across all therapeutic areas). -
CNS / neurology attrition
-3.0pp
CNS drugs have historically high Phase 3 failure rates (notably in Alzheimer disease + major depression). -
Big-pharma sponsor
+3.0pp
AbbVie is a top-20 pharma sponsor — historical approval rates run ~3pp above average due to scale, regulatory experience, and trial-design quality.
| Regulator | Country | Likely year | Lag vs FDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDA | US | 2028–2030 | — |
| EMA | EU | 2029–2031 | +0.7 yr |
| MHRA | GB | 2029–2031 | +0.7 yr |
| Health Canada | CA | 2029–2032 | +0.9 yr |
| TGA | AU | 2029–2032 | +1.2 yr |
| PMDA | JP | 2029–2032 | +1.5 yr |
| NMPA | CN | 2030–2033 | +2.3 yr |
| MFDS | KR | 2029–2032 | +1.4 yr |
| CDSCO | IN | 2029–2033 | +1.8 yr |
| ANVISA | BR | 2030–2033 | +2.3 yr |
Hover any row for the lag rationale. Lag estimates are reduced when the drug has FDA Breakthrough or EMA PRIME designation (sponsors file globally in parallel).
Estimate based on the BIO/Informa industry phase transition rates plus per-drug modifiers for therapeutic area, sponsor type, FDA designations, mechanism, and trial design. Per-jurisdiction lags from Tufts CSDD international approval studies. Not investment, clinical or regulatory advice. Methodology: /methodology#likelihood.
At a glance
| Generic name | Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | AbbVie |
| Drug class | Dopamine precursor with peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor |
| Target | Dopamine pathway; aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (carbidopa component) |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Neurology |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
Levodopa (L-DOPA) is a precursor to dopamine that can cross the blood-brain barrier, unlike dopamine itself. Carbidopa is a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor that prevents levodopa from being converted to dopamine outside the brain, thereby increasing the amount of levodopa available for conversion to dopamine in the CNS. This combination restores dopaminergic neurotransmission in Parkinson's disease patients who have progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons.
Approved indications
- Parkinson's disease
- Restless legs syndrome (off-label use)
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Dyskinesia
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Dizziness
- Hallucinations
- Confusion
- On-off fluctuations
Key clinical trials
- Pharmacological Agents for Chronic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) (PHASE1)
- A Study of CREXONT (Carbidopa and Levodopa) Extended-Release Capsules in Participants With Parkinson's Disease (PHASE4)
- Study To Assess Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity Of 24-hour Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion Of ABBV-951 In Adult Participants With Advanced Parkinson's Disease (PHASE3)
- Extension Study To Evaluate Safety And Tolerability Of 24-Hour Daily Exposure Of Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion of ABBV-951 In Adult Participants With Parkinson's Disease (PHASE3)
- Sustained Release Oral Formulation for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease (EARLY_PHASE1)
- A Long Term Safety Study of ND0612 Administered as a Continuous SC Infusion in Advanced Parkinson's Disease (PHASE2)
- Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability Study of ND0612 vs. Oral Immediate Release Levodopa/Carbidopa (IR-LD/CD) in Subjects With Parkinson's Disease Experiencing Motor Fluctuations (PHASE3)
- A Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetic Study of ND0612 Delivered as a Continuous Subcutaneous in Parkinson's Disease Patients (PHASE1)
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 (LD/CD) CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- AbbVie portfolio CI
Frequently asked questions about Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD)
What is Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD)?
How does Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) work?
What is Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) used for?
Who makes Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD)?
What drug class is Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) in?
What development phase is Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) in?
What are the side effects of Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD)?
What does Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) target?
Related
- Drug class: All Dopamine precursor with peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor drugs
- Target: All drugs targeting Dopamine pathway; aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (carbidopa component)
- Manufacturer: AbbVie — full pipeline
- Therapeutic area: All drugs in Neurology
- Indication: Drugs for Parkinson's disease
- Indication: Drugs for Restless legs syndrome (off-label use)
Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing