Implants for the treatment of dopamine associated states

1. A method for maintaining a plasma level of between about 1 ng/mL and about 40 ng/mL of a dopamine modulating compound in a subject, comprising administering to said subject a biodegradable implant, wherein the biodegradable implant comprises a polymer and said dopamine modulating compound, such that the plasma level of said compound is maintained for at least one day, wherein the polymer consists of a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(glycolic acid), poly-D,L-lactic acid (PLA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), poly(aliphatic carboxylic acids), copolyoxalates, polycaprolactone (PCL), polydioxanone, poly(lactic acid-caprolactone), polyorthoesters and poly(glycolic acid-caprolactone), and wherein said implant further comprises a hydrophobic coating, which is biodegradable.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plasma level is maintained for at least one month.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said plasma level is maintained for at least three months.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject is suffering from a dopamine associated state selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, pervasive development disorder (PDD), Asperger's syndrome, toxin-induced parkinsonism, disease-induced parkinsonism, erectile dysfunction, restless leg syndrome and hyperprolactinemia.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said dopamine associated state is Parkinson's disease.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dopamine modulating compound is a dopamine agonist.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said dopamine agonist is apomorphine, lisuride, pergolide, bromocriptine, pramipexole, rotigotine, docarpamine, terguride, cabergoline, levodopa, spheramine, romergoline, carmoxirole, zelandopam, sumanirole, sibenadet, a 4-alkylamino-2(3H)-indolone compound, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said 4-alkylamino-2(3H)-indolone compound is of formula (I):

wherein:

R is amino, alkylamino, di-alkylamino, alkenylamino, dialkenylamino, N-alkyl-N-alkenylamino, benzylamino, dibenzylamino, arylalkylamino, or diarylalkylamino;

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl; and

n is 1, 2, or 3, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said dopamine modulating compound is ropinirole.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polymer is a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or polycaprolactone.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic coating comprises PLA.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polymer is PLA.