Gevork Minaskanian
Encyclopedia
Gevork Minaskanian, Ph.D., is a research professor in the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University
and Co-founder/Vice President of Synthetic Chemistry at Aderis Pharmaceuticals
who was a contributor to the development of rotigotine
and Neupro (a transdermalpatch that delivers rotigotine). Rotigotine
is a drug developed to mimic the actions of dopamine
in the brain to help cope with restless legs syndrome
and the abnormal movements(dyskinesia
) found in Parkinson's disease
patients. This drug is a revolutionary alternative to oral medications for treatment of Parkinson's disease
, considered by the VCU Department of Chemistry as "an unprecedented medication for the benefit of millions of Parkinson's patient worldwide." Minaskanian’s main contribution to Neupro was improving the efficiency of manufacturing rotigotine, thereby making the process commercially viable and enabling patients to afford this important medication. Dr. Minaskanian is the inventor and author of over 50 patents and publications in various fields of organic and medicinal chemistry. Some of his US patents include patents 5,470,848; 4,801,586; 5,234,959; 5,118,676; and other related research done on rotigotine
and Neupro US patent 7,309,497 found in the United States Patent and Trademark Office
linked to the penetration enhancers for transdermal delivery of systemic agents.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
and Co-founder/Vice President of Synthetic Chemistry at Aderis Pharmaceuticals
Aderis Pharmaceuticals
Aderis Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1994 to develop and commercialize pharmaceuticals and it is best known for the development of Rotigotine a dopamine agonist made for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.- External links :* * *...
who was a contributor to the development of rotigotine
Rotigotine
Rotigotine is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome in Europe and the United States...
and Neupro (a transdermalpatch that delivers rotigotine). Rotigotine
Rotigotine
Rotigotine is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome in Europe and the United States...
is a drug developed to mimic the actions of dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
in the brain to help cope with restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome or Willis-Ekbom disease is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can affect the arms, torso, and even phantom limbs...
and the abnormal movements(dyskinesia
Dyskinesia
Dyskinesia is a movement disorder which consists of effects including diminished voluntary movements and the presence of involuntary movements, similar to tics or choreia. Dyskinesia can be anything from a slight tremor of the hands to uncontrollable movement of, most commonly, the upper body but...
) found in Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
patients. This drug is a revolutionary alternative to oral medications for treatment of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
, considered by the VCU Department of Chemistry as "an unprecedented medication for the benefit of millions of Parkinson's patient worldwide." Minaskanian’s main contribution to Neupro was improving the efficiency of manufacturing rotigotine, thereby making the process commercially viable and enabling patients to afford this important medication. Dr. Minaskanian is the inventor and author of over 50 patents and publications in various fields of organic and medicinal chemistry. Some of his US patents include patents 5,470,848; 4,801,586; 5,234,959; 5,118,676; and other related research done on rotigotine
Rotigotine
Rotigotine is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome in Europe and the United States...
and Neupro US patent 7,309,497 found in the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
linked to the penetration enhancers for transdermal delivery of systemic agents.
External links
- US Patent quick search site
- Faculty - VCU Department of Chemistry
- Executive Management Team at Aderis Pharmaceuticals
- Rotigotine (SPM-962) - The First Once-a-DayTransdermal Patch to Treat Parkinson's Disease
- Dr. Gevork Minaskanian Honored by Virginia Commonwealth University Humanities and Sciences Adjunct Award for the Division of Science and Mathematics
- An excerpt from a S-1/A SEC Filing, filed by ADERIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC on 4/17/2002 mentioning Dr. Minaskanian as a Vice President of Synthetic Chemistry at Aderis