A new combination Alzheimer’s drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week, a move that will simplify medication needs for patients with Alzheimer’s.
NAMZARIC, manufactured by Dublin-based Allergan and Emeryville, California-based Adamas Pharmaceuticals, is a pill that combines Namenda XR and AChEI, two medications that have been proven in clinical studies to improve cognition and global functions versus one or the other taken alone, the companies said in a statement.
The drug, meant for patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, should be more effective and will help cut down on the number of pills a patient will have to take each day.
NAMZARIC will be available in four dosage strengths so that it can be safely combined with other medications patients may already be taking. Two of the dosage strengths are available now. The other two will be available beginning in September. NAMZARIC is covered by Medicare Part D prescription plans, Allergan said.
"At Allergan, we're proud to continue developing products and supporting new programs that can help patients and their caregivers as they navigate this complex disease,” said Gavin Corcoran, MD, chief medical offered at Allgergan, in a statement.
Senior Writer
As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.