MEMANTINE

Forest Announces U.S. Availability of New Once-Daily NAMENDA XR

JUNE 16, 2013 4:16 AM

memantine

Forest Announces U.S. Availability of New Once-Daily NAMENDA XR

– Treatment for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s Disease is now available to patients in a convenient extended release formulation –

NYSE:FRX.NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Forest Laboratories, Inc. announced today that NAMENDA XR(TM) (memantine hydrochloride) once-daily formulation is now available in pharmacies throughout the United States. NAMENDA XR is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.

http://www.pharmalive.com/once-daily-namenda-xr-launched-in-us

Memantine is the first in a novel class of Alzheimer’s disease medications acting on theglutamatergic system by blocking NMDA-type glutamate receptors. It was first synthesized by Eli Lilly and Company in 1968. Memantine is marketed under the brandsAxura and Akatinol by Merz, Namenda by Forest, Ebixa and Abixa by Lundbeck andMemox by Unipharm. Memantine has been shown to have a modest effect in moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease  and in dementia with Lewy bodies. Despite years of research, there is little evidence of effect in mild Alzheimer’s disease.