AAN 2026: Crexont linked to more on time in new Parkinson’s study

People with Parkinson’s disease who switch from other formulations of levodopa to Crexont may experience improvements in daily symptom control, according to new data from an ongoing clinical trial.

“Crexont substantially increased [good on] time, reduced [off time], and improved motor function in [Parkinson’s] patients across all therapy groups, confirming that switching patients from other levodopa-based therapies to Crexont offers meaningful improvements in symptom control through the day,” the researchers wrote.

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Findings presented at AAN highlight therapy switch

A team including scientists at Amneal Pharmaceuticals, the company that sells Crexont, presented the findings at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting, in a poster titled, “Switching to CREXONT Substantially Improves ‘Good On’ Time and Reduces Motor Fluctuations in Parkinson’s Disease: Interim Results from the Real-world ELEVATE-PD Phase Four Study.”

Parkinson’s is a neurological disease marked by the loss of brain cells that make a key signaling molecule called dopamine. Low dopamine levels disrupt normal brain signaling, ultimately leading to Parkinson’s symptoms.

Levodopa is a mainstay treatment for Parkinson’s that works by giving the brain more of the raw material it needs to make dopamine. It is often given in combination with other medications that help more levodopa reach the brain, such as carbidopa or COMT (catechol-o-methyl transferase) inhibitors.

Although levodopa can be effective for easing Parkinson’s symptoms, it may become less effective over time. This can lead to what is called off time, when symptoms aren’t well controlled between scheduled doses. Long-term use can also lead to dyskinesia, a side effect marked by uncontrolled, jerking movements.

Crexont is an extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa designed to help maintain steady levels of the medication in the body, improve absorption, and extend its effects, which may allow for fewer daily doses. The therapy was approved in the U.S. in 2024.

Phase 4 study examines real-world use of Crexont

An ongoing, open-label Phase 4 clinical trial called ELEVATE-PD is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Crexont in people with Parkinson’s who switch to this new formulation from other levodopa-based therapies. At the AAN meeting, researchers presented interim data from the first 111 participants in the study.

Prior to entering ELEVATE-PD, most patients had been taking instant-release formulations of levodopa plus carbidopa. The study also included some patients taking levodopa plus COMT inhibitors, as well as those taking Rytary, another approved extended-release formulation of carbidopa and levodopa, sold by Amneal.

Upon entering the study, participants undergo a five-week period during which Crexont doses are adjusted, then receive treatment with the optimal dose for about a year.

The interim analyses indicated that patients switching to Crexont tended to experience a substantial increase in daily good on time, meaning periods when symptoms are well-controlled without problematic dyskinesia.

Switch linked to gains in daily symptom control

Specifically, data showed that daily good on time increased by more than three hours on average within six weeks of starting Crexont. Daily off time decreased by more than three hours on average. The researchers noted that these improvements were sustained, with longer continuous periods of symptom control reported during the day.

These improvements in daily symptom control were seen regardless of which treatment patients had been on before switching to Crexont. Analyses also showed that patients switching to Crexont experienced fewer motor fluctuations, and standard measures of motor symptom severity indicated an easing of symptoms. Safety data were in line with Crexont’s known profile.

“The longer duration of continuous [good on] intervals and reduced daily motor fluctuations after switching to Crexont provides patients with [Parkinson’s] greater uninterrupted time and predictability to perform their daily activities,” the researchers concluded. “Overall, switching patients with motor fluctuations from other levodopa-based therapies to Crexont offers meaningful improvements in symptom control throughout the day.”