Eslicarbazepine acetate in epilepsies with focal and secondary generalised seizures: systematic review of current evidence

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a third-generation antiepileptic drug (AED) approved for adjunctive treatment in adults, children, and adolescents with focal-onset seizures. Recently ESL was approved for initial monotherapy in adults. The intention of this article is to review current evidence for ESL and to summarise its pharmacological profile in comparison to other AEDs of the dibenzazepine group.

Areas covered: We performed a systematic literature search in electronic databases (MEDLINE database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Excerpta Medica dataBASE) using a combined search strategy including the following keywords: eslicarbazepine, epilepsy and seizure. The search was performed from 2000 until December 2017. Using a standardised assessment form, information on the study design, methodological framework, data sources and efficacy and adverse events attributed to ESL were extracted from each publication and systematically reported.

Expert commentary: ESL is an effective, safe and well tolerated third-generation AED for the treatment of focal epilepsies. During therapy, especially serum sodium levels and possible interactions with other substances have to be monitored. As of yet, long-term experience is still needed to make severe late-occurring adverse events unlikely and to obtain data regarding its use in pregnancy.

KEYWORDS:

• Eslicarbazepine acetate
• adjunctive therapy
• antiepileptic drug
• epilepsy
• seizures

Declaration of interest

LM Willems reports travel support from Eisai, outside the submitted work. JP Zöllner and E Paule have nothing to disclose. Susanne Schubert-Bast reports personal fees from UCB, Eisai, Desitin Pharma and Shire. F Rosenow reports personal fees from Eisai, grants and personal fees from UCB, grants and personal fees from Desitin Pharma, personal fees and other from Novartis, personal fees from Medronic, personal fees from Cerbomed, personal fees from ViroPharma and Shire, grants from the European Union, grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, grants from the LOEWE-Programme of the State of Hessen, Germany, and grants from The Detlev-Wrobel-Fonds for Epilepsy Research, outside the submitted work. A Strzelczyk reports personal fees and grants from Bayer HealthCare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Desitin Arzneimittel, Eisai, Pfizer, Sage Therapeutics, UCB Pharma and Zogenix, outside the submitted work. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

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Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was not funded.