Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) has received FDA approval for deutetrabenazine - the first FDA approval in the world of deuterated drugs - for the treatment of Huntington’s chorea  [a lethal neurodegenerative disease characterized by harsh, repetitive twisting and writhing]. The drug will be sold as Austedo.

Written by John Carroll (ENDpts.com)

...Deuterated drugs tweak therapies so that they break down more slowly in patients. That way you can use a lower dose to greater effect. In this case the drug is a small molecule inhibitor of vesicular monoamine 2 transporter, or VMAT2, which is designed to regulate the levels of dopamine in the brain.

... Currently being restructured, the FDA approval marks a big win for Teva, which has been under the gun for years now:

• The CEO departed recently
• Teva’s generic business has been assaulted by lower prices and
• its branded division endured a lengthy drought in R&D.

...Said Michael Hayden, the CSO at Teva:

“Chorea is a major symptom for many living with Huntington's disease. It impacts patients’ functionality and activities of daily living, and there have been limited treatment options for these patients. Based on the results demonstrated in the clinical development program which supported the approval of AUSTEDO and our ongoing commitment to patients, we feel uniquely positioned to bring this treatment option forward.”