A thin film to be dissolved over the tongue, without the need for water or muscular effort, will help those living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and dysphagia: the difficulty swallowing solid and liquid foods which affects 8 out of 10 patients. This is the formulation riluzole orodispersible, Zambon's treatment, now reimbursed in Italy, as a therapy approved in our country to slow down the progression of the disease.
Currently, over 1 in 2 patients with dysphagia crush their tablets in order to swallow them, a practice that can lead to taking up to 42% less active ingredient, seriously compromising the effectiveness of the therapy.
"Dysphagia affects the lives of people with ALS: in addition to the psychological and social repercussions of no longer being able to eat like they used to, there are also those on adherence to treatment - explains Adriano Chiò, of the University of Turin and Director of SC Neurology 1, Aou Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino - Data from a survey conducted on European patients, including some Italians, reveal how in approximately 7 out of 10 cases the difficulty in swallowing led to giving up or delaying the intake of daily therapy. The significance of the orodispersible formulation of riluzole is therefore clear".
In our country, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease, affects more than 6,000 people and it is estimated that around 2,000 new cases are registered every year.
"It affects the motor neurons, i.e. the nerve cells of the motor cortex and spinal cord responsible for the movements of the voluntary skeletal muscles, leading to a progressive paralysis - declares Vincenzo Silani, Director of the Department of Neuroscience of the IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano in Milan -. This affects strongly on the autonomy of patients who must progressively rely on their caregivers also with regards to taking the therapy. The availability of an orodispersible formulation of riluzole allows the person, especially from the early stages of the disease, to have greater autonomy in taking the only drug", he concludes.
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