ZURICH (Reuters) - The European Union has approved Novartis's Exelon skin patch to treat Alzheimer's disease, the Swiss drugmaker said on Monday.

"The European Commission has approved Exelon patch (rivastigmine transdermal patch), an innovative way to deliver this effective medicine to patients suffering from mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease," the company said.

The approval was expected after the European Medicines Agency -- whose recommendations the EU normally follows -- backed the drug in July.

The United States approved the Alzheimer patch, which is applied to the back, chest or upper arm, in July.

U.S. health officials warned Novartis in August that a promotion for Exelon made misleading claims about the medicine's effectiveness and risks.

Exelon maintains steady drug levels in the bloodstream to help fight Alzheimer's, a disease that alters the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behaviour.