Eisai Launches New Epilepsy Treatment in Belgium
By Lori Clapper
Eisai launched its epilepsy treatment Fycompa (perampanel) in Belgium last week. The drug is the first in a new class of treatment for partial onset seizures, the most common form of epilepsy.
Perampanel, like other current anti-epileptic drugs (AED), selectively targets AMPA receptors, a protein in the brain which plays a critical role in the spread of seizures. However, perampanel adds two differentiators: convenient, once-daily dosing at bedtime and the ability to treat adolescents age 12 and older with epilepsy from the time of launch.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in the world. Belgium alone is home to approximately 60,000 people who have epilepsy and 150,000 people who will experience an epileptic episode in their lives. In fact, it has been a great challenge to treat partial onset seizures in patients worldwide considering a large minority of epilepsy patients are resistant to medications.
“Incidence of uncontrolled partial epilepsy remains high despite many AEDs. Currently, between 20 to 40 percent of patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy will become refractory to treatment,” according to World News Report.
Eisai’s three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and dose-escalated global pivotal Phase III studies and an open-label extension study showed consistent results in the efficacy and tolerability of perampanel as an adjunctive therapy in partial onset seizures.
"As an emerging leader in the field of epilepsy, Eisai is committed to developing innovative therapies to meet the unmet needs of people with epilepsy who need alternative treatment options to help them achieve seizure control," Dr. Nicolas Kormoss, Medical Director for Belgium and Luxemburg at Eisai EMEA, said.
Eisai discovered and developed perampanel, which is manufactured in the UK and was approved by the European Commission in July 2012. Along with Fycompa, the company also has three other marketed epilepsy treatments, including novelon (rufinamide), Zonegran (zonisamide), and Zebinix (eslicarbazepine acetate).