TEVA'S AZILECT APPROVED AS PARKINSON'S THERAPY

Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical has received approval from the U.S. FDA for once-daily Azilect (rasagiline tablets) as a treatment for Parkinson's disease. Azilect will become available in the U.S. within 8 to 10 weeks. It was approved in Europe and in Israel in 2005.

The drug is approved both as initial monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease patients and as adjunct therapy to levodopa in moderate-to-advanced stages of the disease.

"Azilect fills an important unmet need, offering a new treatment which uniquely combines efficacy, convenient once-daily dosing and good tolerability," said Israel Makov, president and CEO of Teva. "The upcoming launch of Azilect represents a key milestone in our commitment to develop and bring to market novel therapies for neurological diseases."