Evidence Hub

Foslevodopa/Foscarbidopa in Younger Patients Earlier Within Advanced Parkinson's Disease: Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Trial

Antonini A, Bergmans B, Kern DS, Gandor F, Nishikawa N, Standaert DG, Fritz B, Gupta R et al.

Neurology and therapy, 2026

13 participants

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated continuous subcutaneously administered foslevodopa/foscarbidopa (LDp/CDp) in younger patients earlier within advanced Parkinson's disease (aPD).

METHODS: This phase 3 trial included patients aged ≥ 30 years with levodopa-responsive PD, Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥ 24, and levodopa equivalent dose ≥ 400 mg/day. Patients were considered by the investigator as inadequately controlled on current oral/transdermal therapy and experienced ≥ 2.5 h/day "Off" time, with recognizable "On"/"Off" states. Patients were randomized (1:1) to LDp/CDp plus placebo capsules or orally administered immediate-release levodopa/carbidopa plus placebo infusion. This post hoc exploratory analysis focused on younger patients (≤ 65 years) earlier within aPD (Hoehn and Yahr stage ≤ 2 ["On" state], ≤ 5 years since motor fluctuations started). Outcomes included change from baseline (CFB) to week 12 in "Off" and "On" time, Movement Disorder Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) II, 39-item PD Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and PD Sleep Scale-2 (PDSS-2).

RESULTS: Twenty-six patients met subgroup criteria (LDp/CDp, n = 13; orally administered levodopa/carbidopa, n = 13). Despite small sample sizes, at week 12, LDp/CDp was associated with significantly greater improvements in "Off" time (mean [SD] CFB - 3.7 [3.1] vs - 1.6 [2.9] h; P = 0.0011), "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia (+ 3.9 [3.3] vs + 1.4 [3.8] h; P = 0.0011), and PDSS-2 (- 6.4 [4.6] vs - 1.8 [3.1]; P =…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 13 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free