Exelon Patch® (Rivastigmine) — Transdermal Cholinesterase Inhibitor for Dementia

The Only Transdermal Treatment Approved for Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

Exelon Patch® (Rivastigmine) is a transdermal patch formulation of Rivastigmine — a dual cholinesterase inhibitor used to treat mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease and mild to moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. The transdermal delivery system provides continuous, steady-state drug delivery over 24 hours, offering improved tolerability compared to oral Rivastigmine formulations.

A.K. Pharma is a trusted medicine distributor in Delhi supplying genuine Exelon Patch (Rivastigmine) to hospitals, neurology clinics, memory disorder centres, and pharmacies across India. Manufactured by Novartis, Exelon Patch is one of the most widely used treatments for dementia worldwide.

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What is Exelon Patch (Rivastigmine)?

Exelon Patch contains Rivastigmine, a reversible inhibitor of both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). By inhibiting both enzymes, Rivastigmine increases acetylcholine levels in the brain — compensating for the cholinergic deficit that underlies the cognitive and functional impairments of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease dementia.

The transdermal patch formulation delivers Rivastigmine continuously through the skin, providing stable plasma levels and avoiding the peaks and troughs associated with oral dosing. This results in significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to oral Rivastigmine capsules — a major advantage in elderly patients who are prone to nausea and vomiting.

Full prescribing information is available at the FDA label for Rivastigmine Transdermal.

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Clinical Studies and Evidence

IDEAL Study (Exelon Patch vs Oral Rivastigmine) Published in Neurology (2007), the IDEAL study — the largest transdermal patch study in Alzheimer’s disease — demonstrated that the Exelon Patch 9.5mg/24h was as effective as the highest recommended oral dose of Rivastigmine (12mg/day) but with significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects. Nausea occurred in 7.2% of patch patients vs 23.1% of oral patients, and vomiting in 6.9% vs 17.0%.

Parkinson’s Disease Dementia Study Published in The Lancet Neurology (2006), this pivotal trial demonstrated Rivastigmine significantly improved cognition and global function in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease dementia compared to placebo — establishing Rivastigmine as a treatment for this indication.

EXPRESS Study (Higher Dose Exelon Patch) The EXPRESS study demonstrated that the higher dose Exelon Patch 13.3mg/24h provided additional cognitive benefit compared to the 9.5mg patch in patients with moderate to moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease who had stabilised on the 9.5mg patch.

Long-Term Extension Studies Multiple long-term extension studies have demonstrated sustained cognitive and functional benefits with continued Exelon Patch treatment over periods of up to 48 weeks, supporting long-term use in appropriate patients.

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Available Strengths

Exelon Patch is available in the following strengths:

• 4.6mg/24 hours (5cm² patch) — starting dose
• 9.5mg/24 hours (10cm² patch) — maintenance dose
• 13.3mg/24 hours (15cm² patch) — higher maintenance dose for Alzheimer’s disease

Each patch is applied once daily to clean, dry, hairless skin on the upper back, upper arm, or chest. The patch should be replaced every 24 hours at the same time each day.

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Indications — What Exelon Patch is Used For

Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia

• Treatment of mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease
• Treatment of moderate to moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease (13.3mg/24h patch)

Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

• Treatment of mild to moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease

Exelon Patch is the only cholinesterase inhibitor available in a transdermal formulation and the only treatment approved for both Alzheimer’s disease dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia.

For detailed indication information refer to MedlinePlus Rivastigmine Transdermal.

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Key Benefits of Exelon Patch

Superior GI Tolerability vs Oral Rivastigmine The IDEAL study demonstrated dramatically fewer gastrointestinal side effects with the patch compared to oral Rivastigmine — nausea reduced from 23.1% to 7.2% and vomiting from 17.0% to 6.9% — making it the preferred formulation in clinical practice.

Once Daily Application A single patch applied each morning provides continuous 24-hour drug delivery — simpler than twice daily oral capsules and easier for caregivers to administer to patients with dementia.

Steady State Drug Delivery Transdermal delivery avoids the peaks and troughs of oral dosing, providing stable plasma Rivastigmine levels throughout the day and night.

Dual Cholinesterase Inhibition Rivastigmine inhibits both AChE and BuChE — unlike Donepezil and Galantamine which inhibit only AChE. BuChE becomes increasingly important as Alzheimer’s disease progresses and AChE levels decline.

Dual Indication — Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Dementia Exelon Patch is uniquely approved for both Alzheimer’s disease dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia — the only cholinesterase inhibitor with both approvals.

Easy Caregiver Administration The patch can be applied by a caregiver to the patient’s back, eliminating the need for patient compliance with oral medications — particularly valuable in advanced dementia.

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How Exelon Patch Works

Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease dementia are both associated with a loss of cholinergic neurons in the brain — particularly in areas involved in memory, learning, and cognition such as the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

This cholinergic deficit leads to reduced acetylcholine levels and impaired cholinergic neurotransmission — contributing to the memory loss, confusion, and functional impairment characteristic of dementia.

Exelon Patch works by:

• Inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) — the primary enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine at synapses
• Inhibiting butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) — a secondary cholinesterase that becomes more prominent as Alzheimer’s disease progresses
• Increasing synaptic acetylcholine levels in cholinergically deficient brain regions
• Improving cholinergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus and cortex
• Providing symptomatic benefit in cognition, function, and behaviour in dementia patients

For a detailed mechanism overview refer to Alzheimer’s Association treatment resources.

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Exelon Patch vs Oral Cholinesterase Inhibitors

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Dosage and Administration

Starting Dose:

• Apply one 4.6mg/24h patch once daily for minimum 4 weeks

Maintenance Dose:

• Increase to 9.5mg/24h patch after at least 4 weeks on starting dose if well tolerated
• For Alzheimer’s disease: may further increase to 13.3mg/24h after at least 6 months on 9.5mg patch if additional benefit needed and tolerated

Application Instructions:

• Apply to clean, dry, hairless, intact skin on upper back, upper arm, or chest
• Rotate application sites daily — avoid same site for 14 days
• Press firmly for 30 seconds to ensure adhesion
• Remove old patch before applying new patch
• Apply at same time each day
• Avoid areas where patch may be rubbed by tight clothing

Full dosing guidelines available at Drugs.com Rivastigmine Dosage.

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Who Should Use Exelon Patch

Exelon Patch is prescribed for:

• Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease dementia
• Patients with moderate to moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease (13.3mg patch)
• Patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease dementia
• Patients who have experienced gastrointestinal intolerance with oral Rivastigmine or other cholinesterase inhibitors
• Patients where caregiver-administered treatment would improve compliance
• Elderly patients at high risk of GI side effects from oral medications

Exelon Patch is prescribed by neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, and general physicians. A.K. Pharma supplies Exelon Patch to hospitals, neurology clinics, and pharmacies across Delhi and India.

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Possible Side Effects

Common side effects include application site reactions (redness, itching, irritation), nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, and dizziness.

Serious side effects include:

• Severe application site reactions — discontinue if severe skin reactions develop
• Significant nausea, vomiting, and weight loss
• Syncope and bradycardia — monitor heart rate particularly in patients on beta-blockers or other rate-slowing medications
• Peptic ulcers and GI bleeding — use with caution in patients at risk
• Seizures — use with caution in patients with epilepsy

Full side effect information available at FDA Rivastigmine Transdermal Safety Information.

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Precautions

• Rotate application sites daily — avoid reapplying to same site within 14 days to minimise skin reactions
• Do not apply to red, irritated, or broken skin
• Only one patch should be worn at a time — overdose risk if multiple patches applied
• Use with caution in patients with sick sinus syndrome or conduction defects
• Use with caution in patients with active peptic ulcer disease or GI bleeding
• Use with caution in patients with asthma or COPD
• Monitor weight regularly — significant weight loss may occur
• Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Refer to WHO Dementia Fact Sheet for broader dementia management context

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Storage and Handling

• Store at room temperature below 25°C
• Keep in original sealed pouch until time of use
• Do not store above 25°C or in direct sunlight
• Keep out of reach of children and pets
• After removal fold patch in half with adhesive side inward and dispose safely — keep away from children and pets as residual drug remains

As a responsible medicine distributor in Delhi, A.K. Pharma stores all medicines including Exelon Patch under manufacturer-recommended conditions ensuring product integrity for every unit supplied.

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Manufacturer Information

Exelon Patch (Rivastigmine) is manufactured by Novartis AG, a global pharmaceutical company with extensive neuroscience expertise. The Exelon Patch received FDA approval in July 2007 for Alzheimer’s disease and in 2012 for Parkinson’s disease dementia. A.K. Pharma supplies only genuine Exelon Patch sourced from authorized Novartis distributors.

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Related Neurology Medicines Available at A.K. Pharma

• Rilutek (Riluzole) — treatment for ALS/motor neuron disease
• Browse all Neurology Medicines available at A.K. Pharma

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Exelon Patch used for? Exelon Patch (Rivastigmine) is used to treat mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease and mild to moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. More information available at MedlinePlus.

Q. What is the generic name of Exelon Patch? The generic name of Exelon Patch is Rivastigmine. It belongs to the cholinesterase inhibitor class of medicines used to treat dementia.

Q. How is Exelon Patch different from Donepezil? Exelon Patch (Rivastigmine) inhibits both AChE and BuChE while Donepezil inhibits only AChE. Exelon Patch is the only cholinesterase inhibitor available as a transdermal patch and the only one approved for Parkinson’s disease dementia. The patch formulation also offers significantly better GI tolerability compared to oral cholinesterase inhibitors.

Q. Where should the Exelon Patch be applied? Apply to clean, dry, hairless, intact skin on the upper back, upper arm, or chest. Rotate application sites daily — avoid using the same site within 14 days. Press firmly for 30 seconds to ensure adhesion.

Q. Is Exelon Patch available in India? Exelon Patch can be supplied to hospitals, neurology clinics, and pharmacies across India through licensed pharmaceutical distributors. Contact A.K. Pharma — medicine distributor in Delhi — for availability and pricing.

Q. What is the price of Exelon Patch in India? Exelon Patch price in India varies by strength and pack size. Contact A.K. Pharma at 011 4172 6999 or WhatsApp +91 9810034827 for current pricing and bulk supply rates.

Q. How to order Exelon Patch from A.K. Pharma? You can request a quote directly from this page, call us at 011 4172 6999, or WhatsApp us at +91 9810034827 with your requirements and we will respond promptly.

Q. Does A.K. Pharma supply Exelon Patch in bulk? Yes. A.K. Pharma supplies Exelon Patch in bulk to hospitals, neurology clinics, and pharmacies across Delhi and India. Contact us for bulk pricing and availability.

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Why Order Exelon Patch from A.K. Pharma?

• Licensed medicine distributor in Delhi with all required drug licenses
• 100% genuine Exelon Patch sourced from authorized Novartis distributors
• Reliable supply to neurology clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies across India
• Bulk supply available with competitive pricing
• Prompt response to all quote requests
• Serving neurologists and geriatricians across Delhi NCR and India

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Contact A.K. Pharma for Exelon Patch Supply 📍 E-2/257A, 2nd Floor, Shastri Nagar, New Delhi 110052 📞 011 4172 6999 📱 WhatsApp: +91 9810034827 🌐 akpharma.in