Qilu Pharmaceutical Launches Shenkongan (Entacapone/Carbidopa/Levodopa Tablets) on Ali Health, Offering New Treatment Option for Parkinson’s Patients with 'Wearing-Off' Phenomenon

China Finance and Economics Network, December 23rd: Yesterday, Entacapone/Sinemet Tablets (Ⅱ) ("Shen Ke An") under Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. made its debut on AliHealth.

This medication is suitable for treating adult Parkinson's disease patients with "wearing-off" motor fluctuations that are not controlled by levodopa/DDC inhibitor therapy.

According to the "Chinese Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (Fourth Edition)" (2020), the prevalence rate among people aged 65 and above in China is approximately 1.7%. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, with clinical features including motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremors, and muscle rigidity, as well as non-motor symptoms. China has now become the "number one country for Parkinson's disease," with a total patient population exceeding 3 million.

As the disease progresses, a significant proportion of patients receiving long-term levodopa treatment will experience the "wearing-off phenomenon," where the duration of drug efficacy shortens, and motor symptoms re-emerge and worsen before the next dose, severely impacting daily living abilities and quality of life.

Qilu Pharmaceutical stated that Shenkean integrates three components—levodopa, carbidopa, and entacapone—into a single compound tablet. In the "Chinese Parkinson's Disease Treatment Guidelines," such compound levodopa preparations are recommended as the preferred treatment for patients experiencing motor fluctuations. Entacapone and carbidopa enhance the brain entry of levodopa, extend its half-life, and reduce the peripheral generation of dopamine, thereby effectively alleviating peripheral adverse reactions. Additionally, combining the three components into one tablet simplifies the medication regimen, which helps improve patient compliance with long-term treatment.

According to reports, the successful approval of Shenkean marks an important advancement for Qilu Pharmaceutical in the field of central nervous system treatment. It is also the 22nd new product approved for marketing by Qilu Pharmaceutical within this year. Currently, Qilu Pharmaceutical's products cover multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, psychiatric and neurological disorders, ophthalmology, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes.

AliHealth stated that, as the first channel for the launch of Shenkean, it has provided a fast track to reach target patients. Relying on professional medical education, pharmacist services, and a convenient medicine purchase and delivery network, it helps Parkinson's disease patients gain access to more reachable disease management solutions. Meanwhile, addressing common challenges such as the difficulty of seeking medical treatment in different locations and the inconvenience of regular follow-up visits, AliHealth uses digital tools like online follow-ups, medication reminders, and symptom tracking to build an online management loop covering diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up for patients, enhancing the continuity of standardized treatment and improving patient quality of life.