Rasagiline mesylate is a new MAO-B inhibitor for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Target: Monoamine Oxidase (MAO)-BRasagiline (N-propargyl-1-(R)-aminoindan) is a novel, highly potent irreversible monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B inhibitor, anti-Parkinsonian drug. Rasagiline is effective as monotherapy or adjunct to L-Dopa for patients with early and late Parkinson's disease (PD) [1]. Rasagiline inhibits MAO-B more potently than selegiline and has the advantage of once-daily dosing. In several large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, rasagiline has demonstrated efficacy as monotherapy in early PD and as adjunctive therapy in advanced PD. In addition, rasagiline has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in in vitro and in vivo studies. The recently completed delayed-start ADAGIO (Attenuation of Disease Progression with Azilect Given Once-daily) trial suggests a potential disease-modifying effect for rasagiline 1 mg/day, though the clinical import of this finding has yet to be established [2]. Rasagiline has been found to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of early PD and as adjunctive treatment in motor fluctuations. Whether rasagiline is associated with clinically significant neuroprotection (ie, disease modification) in PD is the subject of ongoing clinical trials [3].
References:
[1]. Weinreb, O., et al., Rasagiline: a novel anti-Parkinsonian monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor with neuroprotective activity. Prog Neurobiol, 2010. 92(3): p. 330-44.
[2]. Lei D, et al. Synergistic neuroprotective effect of rasagiline and idebenone against retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury via the Lin28-let-7-Dicer pathway. Oncotarget. 2018 Jan 30;9(15):12137-12153.
[3]. Leegwater-Kim, J. and E. Bortan, The role of rasagiline in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Clin Interv Aging, 2010. 5: p. 149-56.
[4]. Chen, J.J., D.M. Swope, and K. Dashtipour, Comprehensive review of rasagiline, a second-generation monoamine oxidase inhibitor, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Clin Ther, 2007. 29(9): p. 1825-49.