### Parkinson's Disease: 

The effectiveness of ropinirole hydrochloride in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease was evaluated in a multinational drug development program consisting of 11 randomized, controlled trials. Four were conducted in patients with early Parkinson’s disease and no concomitant levodopa (L-dopa), and 7 were conducted in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease with concomitant L-dopa. 

Among these 11 studies, 3 placebo-controlled studies provide the most persuasive evidence of ropinirole’s effectiveness in the management of patients with Parkinson’s disease who were and were not receiving concomitant L-dopa. Two of these 3 trials enrolled patients with early Parkinson’s disease (without L-dopa) and 1 enrolled patients receiving L-dopa. 

In these studies a variety of measures were used to assess the effects of treatment (e.g., the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS], Clinical Global Impression [CGI] scores, patient diaries recording time “on” and “off,” and tolerability of L-dopa dose reductions). 

In both studies of early Parkinson’s disease (without L-dopa) patients, the motor component (Part III) of the UPDRS was the primary outcome assessment. The UPDRS is a 4-part multi-item rating scale intended to evaluate mentation (Part I), activities of daily living (Part II), motor performance (Part III), and complications of therapy (Part IV). Part III of the UPDRS contains 14 items designed to assess the severity of the cardinal motor findings in patients with Parkinson’s disease (e.g., tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability, etc.) scored for different body regions and has a maximum (worst) score of 108. Responders were defined as patients with at least a 30% reduction in the Part III score. 

In the study of advanced Parkinson’s disease (with L-dopa) patients, both reduction in percent awake time spent “off” and the ability to reduce the daily use of L-dopa were assessed as a combined endpoint and individually. 

### Studies in Patients With Early Parkinson’s Disease (Without L-dopa): 

One early therapy study was a 12-week multicenter study in which 63 patients (41 on ropinirole hydrochloride) with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease receiving concomitant anti-Parkinson medication (but not L-dopa) were randomized to either ropinirole hydrochloride or placebo. Patients had a mean disease duration of approximately 2 years. Patients were eligible for enrollment if they presented with bradykinesia and at least tremor, rigidity, or postural instability. In addition, they must have been classified as Hoehn & Yahr Stage I-IV. This scale, ranging from I = unilateral involvement with minimal impairment to V = confined to wheelchair or bed, is a standard instrument used for staging patients with Parkinson’s disease. The primary outcome measure in this trial was the proportion of patients experiencing a decrease (compared to baseline) of at least 30% in the UPDRS motor score. 

Patients were titrated for up to 10 weeks, starting at 0.5 mg twice daily, with weekly increments of 0.5 mg twice daily to a maximum of 5 mg twice daily. Once patients reached their maximally tolerated dose (or 5 mg twice daily), they were maintained on that dose through 12 weeks. The mean dose achieved by patients at study endpoint was 7.4 mg/day. At the end of 12 weeks, 71% of patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride were responders, compared with 41% of patients in the placebo group (p = 0.021). 

Statistically significant differences between the percentage of responders on ropinirole hydrochloride compared to placebo were seen after 8 weeks of treatment. 

In addition, the mean percentage improvement from baseline in the Total Motor Score was 43% in patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride compared with 21% in patients treated with placebo (p = 0.018). 

Statistically significant differences in UPDRS motor score between ropinirole hydrochloride and placebo were seen after 2 weeks of treatment. 

The median daily dose at which a 30% reduction in UPDRS motor score was sustained was 4 mg. 

The second trial in early Parkinson’s disease (without L-dopa) patients was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month study. Patients were essentially similar to those in the study described above; concomitant use of selegiline was allowed, but patients were not permitted to use anticholinergics or amantadine during the study. Patients had a mean disease duration of 2 years and limited (not more than a 6-week period) or no prior exposure to L-dopa. The starting dose of ropinirole hydrochloride in this trial was 0.25 mg 3 times daily. The dose was titrated at weekly intervals by increments of 0.25 mg 3 times daily to a dose of 1 mg 3 times daily. Further titrations at weekly intervals were at increments of 0.5 mg 3 times daily up to a dose of 3 mg 3 times daily, and then weekly at increments of 1 mg 3 times daily. Patients were to be titrated to a dose of at least 1.5 mg 3 times daily and then to their maximally tolerated dose, up to a maximum of 8 mg 3 times daily. The mean dose attained in patients at study endpoint was 15.7 mg/day. 

The primary measure of effectiveness was the mean percent reduction (improvement) from baseline in the UPDRS Motor Score. In this study 241 patients were enrolled. At the end of the 6-month study, patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride had 22% improvement in motor score, compared with a 4% worsening in the placebo group (p<0.001).

Statistically significant differences in UPDRS motor score improvement between ropinirole hydrochloride and placebo were seen after 12 weeks of treatment. 

### Study in Patients With Advanced Parkinson’s Disease (With L-dopa):

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month trial evaluated 148 patients (Hoehn & Yahr II-IV) who were not adequately controlled on L-dopa. Patients in this study had a mean disease duration of approximately 9 years, had been exposed to L-dopa for approximately 7 years, and had experienced “on-off” periods with L-dopa therapy. Patients previously receiving stable doses of selegiline, amantadine, and/or anticholinergic agents could continue on these agents during the study. Patients were started at a dose of 0.25 mg 3 times daily of ropinirole hydrochloride and titrated upward by weekly intervals until an optimal therapeutic response was achieved. The maximum dose of study medication was 8 mg 3 times daily. All patients had to be titrated to at least a dose of 2.5 mg 3 times daily. Patients could then be maintained on this dose level or higher for the remainder of the study. Once a dose of 2.5 mg 3 times daily was achieved, patients underwent a mandatory reduction in their L-dopa dose, to be followed by additional mandatory reductions with continued escalation of the dose of ropinirole hydrochloride. Reductions in the dosage of L-dopa were also allowed if patients experienced adverse events that the investigator considered related to dopaminergic therapy. The mean dose attained at study endpoint was 16.3 mg/day. The primary outcome was the proportion of responders, defined as patients who were able both to achieve a decrease (compared to baseline) of at least 20% in their L-dopa dose and a decrease of at least 20% in the proportion of the time awake in the “off” condition (a period of time during the day when patients are particularly immobile), as determined by patient diary. In addition, the mean percent change from baseline in daily L-dopa dose was examined. 

At the end of 6 months, 28% of patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride were classified as responders (based on combined endpoint) while 11% of patients treated with placebo were responders (p = 0.02). Based on the protocol-mandated reductions in L-dopa dosage with escalating doses of ropinirole hydrochloride, patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride had a 19.4% mean reduction in L-dopa dose while patients treated with placebo had a 3% reduction (p<0.001). L-dopa dosage reduction was also allowed during the study if dyskinesias or other dopaminergic effects occurred. Overall, reduction of L-dopa dose was sustained in 87% of patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride and in 57% of patients on placebo. On average, the L-dopa dose was reduced by 31% in patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride. 

The mean number of “off” hours per day during baseline was 6.4 hours for patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride and 7.3 hours for patients treated with placebo. At the end of the 6-month study, patients treated with ropinirole hydrochloride had a mean of 4.9 hours per day of “off” time, while placebo-treated patients had a mean of 6.4 hours per day of “off” time. 

### Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): 

The effectiveness of ropinirole hydrochloride in the treatment of RLS was demonstrated in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in adults diagnosed with RLS using the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group diagnostic criteria (see INDICATIONS AND USAGE). Patients were required to have a history of a minimum of 15 RLS episodes/month during the previous month and a total score of ≥15 on the International RLS Rating Scale (IRLS scale) at baseline. Patients with RLS secondary to other conditions (e.g., pregnancy, renal failure, and anemia) were excluded. All studies employed flexible dosing, with patients initiating therapy at 0.25 mg ropinirole hydrochloride once daily. Patients were titrated based on clinical response and tolerability over 7 weeks to a maximum of 4 mg once daily. All doses were taken between 1 and 3 hours before bedtime. 

A variety of measures were used to assess the effects of treatment, including the IRLS Scale and Clinical Global Impression-Global Improvement (CGI-I) scores. The IRLS Scale contains 10 items designed to assess the severity of sensory and motor symptoms, sleep disturbance, daytime somnolence, and impact on activities of daily living and mood associated with RLS. The range of scores is 0 to 40, with 0 being absence of RLS symptoms and 40 the most severe symptoms. Three of the controlled studies utilized the change from baseline in the IRLS Scale at the week 12 endpoint as the primary efficacy outcome. 

Three hundred eighty patients were randomized to receive ropinirole hydrochloride (n = 187) or placebo (n = 193) in a US study; 284 were randomized to receive either ropinirole hydrochloride (n = 146) or placebo (n = 138) in a multinational study (excluding US); and 267 patients were randomized to ropinirole hydrochloride (n = 131) or placebo (n = 136) in a multinational study (including US). Across the 3 studies, the mean duration of RLS was 16 to 22 years (range of 0 to 65 years), mean age was approximately 54 years (range of 18 to 79 years), and approximately 61% were women. The mean dose at week 12 was approximately 2 mg/day for the 3 studies. 

In all 3 studies, a statistically significant difference between the treatment group receiving ropinirole hydrochloride and the treatment group receiving placebo was observed at week 12 for both the mean change from baseline in the IRLS Scale total score and the percentage of patients rated as responders (much improved or very much improved) on the CGI-I (see Table 1). 

Long-term maintenance of efficacy in the treatment of RLS was demonstrated in a 36-week study. Following a 24-week single-blind treatment phase (flexible doses of ropinirole hydrochloride of 0.25 to 4 mg once daily), patients who were responders (defined as a decrease of >6 points on the IRLS Scale total score relative to baseline) were randomized in double-blind fashion to placebo or continuation of ropinirole hydrochloride for an additional 12 weeks. Relapse was defined as an increase of at least 6 points on the IRLS Scale total score to a total score of at least 15, or withdrawal due to lack of efficacy. For patients who were responders at week 24, the mean dose of ropinirole was 2 mg (range 0.25 to 4 mg). Patients continued on ropinirole hydrochloride demonstrated a significantly lower relapse rate compared with patients randomized to placebo (32.6% vs 57.8%, p = 0.0156).