Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatments are critical to helping stabilize the often shaky symptoms associated with the disease. With millions of lives affected by the disease, there is an urgent need for the most effective treatment options.

Advances in the understanding of PD are driving the development of increasingly effective therapeutic strategies for the management of symptoms associated with the disease. As ongoing research and clinical trials lead to the approvals of novel therapeutic options, understanding currently available options is critical to maintaining patient quality of life as PD progresses.  

Many currently approved treatment options include dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agents. This class of drug replaces or prevents the degradation of dopamine in the central nervous system, by mimicking the action of dopamine. These drugs help offset the loss of dopamine attributed to PD, although they fail to halt disease progression. 

FDA-Approved, On Label PD Treatments:

Gocovri (amantadine)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2017 for the treatment of dyskinesia in PD patients.
  • Approved again in 2021 as an adjunctive treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in patients with PD experiencing off episodes.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Vyalev (foscarbidopa and foslevodopa)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2024 for adults living with advanced PD.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Crexont (carbidopa and levodopa)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2024 for the treatment of PD.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Onapgo (apomorphine hydrochloride)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2025 for the treatment of motor fluctuations in adults with advanced PD.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Inbrija (levodopa inhalation capsules)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2018 for intermittent treatment of off episodes in people with PD.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Ongentys (opicapone)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2020 as an add-on treatment for patients with PD experiencing off episodes.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Neupro (rotigotine)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agent
  • Approved in 2007 for the treatment of early-stage PD.
  • Approved in 2012 for PD and Restless Legs Syndrome.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Xadago (safinamide)

  • Dopaminergic antiparkinsonian agent
  • Approved in 2017 as an adjunctive treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in patients with PD experiencing off episodes.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website

Nourianz (istradefylline)

  • Miscellaneous antiparkinson agent
  • Approved in 2019 as an add-on drug to treat off episodes in adults with PD.
  • Summary
  • HCP Website
Examples of Parkinson’s Disease in Guidelines

Physical Therapist Management of Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Practice Guideline

Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease: Invasive Therapies

  • European Academy of Neurology/International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society, 2022
  • Summary
  • Full Text

Dopaminergic Therapy for Motor Symptoms in Early Parkinson Disease Practice Guideline Summary

Parkinson Disease

Guidelines on Subthalamic Nucleus and Globus Pallidus Internus Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Given the substantial impact of PD on such a wide patient population, ongoing research and the monitoring of emerging pharmacologic therapies are key to optimizing health outcomes and maintaining those patients’ quality of life.

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