Treatment of Parkinson's Disease With a Transdermal Skin Patch

Patients with Parkinson's disease are missing the chemical neurotransmitter dopamine. This occurs as a result of destructive changes in an area of the brain responsible for making dopamine, the basal ganglia. Muscle tremors, rigidity of movement, shuffling footsteps, droopy posture, and a mask-like expression on the face characterize Parkinson's disease. This study is designed to determine the effects of a new drug, N-9023. The drug acts like dopamine and can be given through a skin patch (transdermal) for treatment of parkinsonian symptoms. The goals of this study are to find out whether N-9023 is useful in treating the signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and to determine the best dose of N-9023 that is safe and effective.