Document is current

Article History

Received: 4 December 2017

Accepted: 11 February 2018

First Online: 26 February 2018

Compliance with ethical standards

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: Thomas Müller, Eduardo Tolosa, Letitia Badea, and Lars Timmermann were study investigators on this UCB Pharma-funded study. Letitia Badea has no other relevant disclosures. Thomas Müller was an advisor for UCB in relation to this project. Eduardo Tolosa received honoraria in the past 2 years for consultancy from TEVA, Bial, Accorda, Solvay, and Lundbeck, and has received funding for research from the Spanish Network for Research on Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF). Between April 2014 and April 2017, Lars Timmermann received payments as a consultant for Medtronic Inc., Boston Scientific, GE Medical, and UCB Schwarz Pharma. Lars Timmermann received honoraria as a speaker on symposia sponsored by Bial, Zambon Pharma, UCB Schwarz Pharma, Desitin Pharma, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott, and Bayer. The institution of Lars Timmermann, not Lars Timmermann personally, received funding by the German Research Foundation, the German Ministry of Education and Research, Manfred und Ursula Müller Stiftung, Klüh Stiftung, Hoffnungsbaum e. V., NBIA Disorders Society USA, Köln Fortune, Medtronic, Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung, Archimedes Pharma, Abbott, Bayer, UCB, Zur Rose Pharma, and TEVA. Neither Lars Timmermann nor any member of his family holds stocks, stock options, patents, or has financial interests in any of the above-mentioned companies or their competitors. Frank Grieger, Michael Markowitz, Xavier Nondonfaz, and Lars Bauer are salaried employees of UCB Pharma and receive stock options from their employment. Mahnaz Asgharnejad is a former employee of UCB Pharma and received restricted stock units from her employment.