Perampanel: newly approved, novel antiepileptic medication for partial-onset seizures

Abstract

Evaluation of: French JA, Krauss GL, Steinhoff BJ et al. Evaluation of adjunctive perampanel in patients with refractory partial-onset seizures: Results of randomized global Phase III study 305. Epilepsia doi:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03638.x (2012) (Epub ahead of print).

Epilepsy is characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures. The number of individuals burdened by recurrent seizures in the USA alone is approximated at around 2 million, with the vast majority of patients maintained on chronic medical management for appropriate seizure control. Perampanel is an oral, noncompetitive antagonist of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid-type glutamate receptor that has been approved by the European Medicines Agency and the US FDA under the trade name Fycompa^® (Eisai Medical Research Laboratories, Hatfield, UK) as an adjunct treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients aged ≥12 years. The article under review is a Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study that demonstrates the efficacy and safety of an 8- and 12‑mg daily oral dose of perampanel with greater mean percentage seizure frequency reduction at 8-mg daily dose. The study is discussed in relation to the current understanding of cellular mechanisms of neuronal excitability leading to epileptogenicity, as well as clinical application of novel and established antiepileptic agents.

Keywords::

• a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid
• Fycompa^®
• glutamate
• novel antiepileptic drug
• partial seizures
• perampanel
• refractory epilepsy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

S Chung had received research grants from Eisai Medical Research Laboratories, GSK, Lundbeck, Medtronics, Neuronex, SK Life Science, Supernus, Sunovion, UCB Pharma, Upsher-Smith and Valeant, and is a member of the speakers’ bureau for GSK, Lundbeck and UCB Pharma. S Chung also has a consulting agreement with Lundbeck, UCB Pharma and Upsher-Smith. 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.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.