selegiline - Medications

EMSAM ® contains selegiline, a MAOI antidepressant. When applied to intact skin, EMSAM is designed to transdermally deliver selegiline over a 24-hour period. Selegiline base is a colorless to yellow liquid, chemically described as (-)-( N )-Methyl- N -[(1 R )-1-methyl-2-phenylethyl]prop-2-yn-1-amine. It has a molecular formula of C 13 H 17 N and a molecular weight of 187.30. The structural formula is: EMSAM transdermal systems are available in three strengths that deliver approximately 6 mg, 9 mg, or 12 mg of selegiline over 24 hours. Each corresponding system has an active surface area of 20 cm 2 , 30 cm 2 , or 40 cm 2 containing 20, 30, or 40 mg of selegiline, respectively. The composition of the systems per unit area is identical. EMSAM is a matrix-type transdermal system composed of three layers as illustrated in Figure 1 below. Layer 1 is the Backing Film that provides occlusivity, physical integrity and protects the adhesive/drug layer. Layer 2 is the Adhesive/Drug Layer. Layer 3 consists of side-by-side release liners that are peeled off and discarded by the patient prior to applying EMSAM. The inactive ingredients are acrylic adhesive, ethylene vinyl acetate/polyethylene, polyester, polyurethane, and silicone coated polyester. Figure 1: Side view of EMSAM system. (Not to scale.) Selegiline Structural Formula Figure 1: Side view of EMSAM