Stalevo is a single formulation of

Stalevo is a single formulation of levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone that provides dual enzyme inhibition of both dopa decarboxylase and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), the two major metabolic pathways of levodopaCompared with conventional levodopa/DDCI therapy, the PK profile with dual enzyme inhibition is significantly improvedStudies comparing single doses with conventional levodopa/DDCI therapy report increases of up to 75% increase in levodopa half-life Moreover, recent PK studies with multiple doses have demonstrated that Stalevo provides higher and more stable plasma levels of levodopa when compared with conventional formulationsIncreased uptake of levodopa to the brainIncreased levodopa plasma exposure (area under the curve; AUC) by 35–40%Prolonged elimination half-life of levodopa from 1.3 to 2.4 hoursIncreased minimum concentration (Cmin) levels (avoids deep troughs)