Kynmobi (apomorphine) for Parkinson’s disease
Fact-checked by Inês Martins, PhDWhat is Kynmobi for Parkinson’s disease?
Kynmobi (apomorphine hydrochloride) was an approved, fast-acting therapy used to treat off episodes in people with Parkinson’s disease. These are periods when Parkinson’s symptoms return as the effects of regular medication wear off between doses.
The medication was available as a film that dissolved under the tongue (sublingual film) and was used as needed.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by the progressive loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine, a signaling molecule important for controlling movement. While levodopa-based treatments are a mainstay of Parkinson’s treatment and can effectively manage symptoms, many people experience off episodes when symptoms are not fully controlled between doses.
Kynmobi belonged to a class of medications called dopamine agonists, which activate dopamine receptors in the brain. The therapy could rapidly improve motor symptoms during an off episode.
While Kynmobi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020, its developer, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, voluntarily withdrew it from the U.S. market in 2023 due to limited use.
Kynmobi is still approved and marketed in parts of Europe, and other formulations of apomorphine remain available in the U.S.
Therapy snapshot
Scroll horizontally to view all columns -->
| Treatment name | Kynmobi |
| Administration | Oral film placed under the tongue |
| Clinical testing | Previously approved in the U.S., but it was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 2023 due to limited use |
Kynmobi in clinical trials
Kynmobi’s approval in the U.S. was supported by data from a North American Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT02469090). A total of 141 adults with Parkinson’s entered the study’s dose-titration phase, and 109 were then randomly assigned to Kynmobi or a placebo. Participants were experiencing at least one off episode a day and at least two hours of total off time daily while on levodopa treatment. Results showed that:
- After 12 weeks, Kynmobi was significantly better than a placebo at easing motor symptoms 30 minutes after dosing, meeting the trial’s main goal.
- Significant differences in motor symptom control were observed as early as 15 minutes after taking Kynmobi, with the greatest effect occurring around 60 minutes after dosing. Improvements were maintained for up to 90 minutes after a dose.
Additional Phase 3 studies also reported benefits of Kynmobi for treating Parkinson’s off episodes. One of those trials, an open-label long-term study (NCT02542696) that enrolled 496 participants, found that improvements in motor symptoms were seen as soon as 15 minutes after treatment and peaked at about 30 minutes, with benefits remaining consistent through 48 weeks. Kynmobi was also generally well tolerated, although adverse events led roughly one-third of participants to stop treatment.
Parkinson's News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
