Therapeutic for Drug Refractory Epilepsy and Neuropathic Pain
Epilepsy is a recurrent disorder of cerebral function caused by abnormal, excessive discharge of cerebral neurons. The disease is characterized by sudden, brief attacks of altered consciousness, motor activity, sensory phenomena or inappropriate behavior. Convulsive seizures, the most common form of attacks, begin with loss of consciousness and motor control, and jerking of extremities.
No single drug controls all types of seizures and different drugs are required for different patients. Current antiepileptic drugs have many undesirable side effects and physicians must monitor patients closely for signs of toxicity.
In 2000, SCHWARZ PHARMA partnered with Harris FRC Corporation to complete the development and commercialization of lacosamide,* one of a novel set of compounds for epilepsy. Harris FRC, an early-phase drug development company in Holmdel, N.J., conducted the preclinical and clinical development program of lacosamide under exclusive license from Research Corporation Technologies.
SCHWARZ PHARMA announced in March 2006 that its first Phase III trial with oral lacosamide showed clinically relevant and statistically significant evidence in reducing seizure frequence and a 50 percent responder rate.
In January 2007, UCB announced its successful takeover of SCHWARZ PHARMA. UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders and oncology. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange. Worldwide headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium. UCB has now established a leading platform in epilepsy. A group of small molecule drugs is being developed to treat this condition, including Keppra® (levetiracetam), brivaracetam and lacosamide (VIMPAT®).
UCB is also developing lacosamide for chronic pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. The company announced in December 2007 positive results from a Phase III trial evaluating lacosamide (400 mg per day) in the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain. With a standard titration regimen, the trial met its primary objective with sustained and statistically significant reduction in average daily pain scores.
*Formerly named harkosaride
Inventor/Founder
Harold Kohn, Ph.D., Kenan Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and chair, division of medicinal chemistry and natural products, School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
RCT Contact
Chad Souvignier, Ph.D., RCT Director
Related Web Sites
Lacosamide News
December 11, 2007
New Phase III Trial Shows Positive Outcome of lacosamide in Patients with Diabetic Neuropathic Pain
March 31, 2006
Lacosamide at Significance Level in Diabetic Neuropathic Pain Phase III Trial
March 29, 2006
Positive Phase III Results for Lacosamide in Epilepsy
Aug. 8, 2005
Positive Data From Phase III Program for Lacosamide
Dec. 7, 2004
SCHWARZ PHARMA to Present Phase II Data in Epilepsy with Oral and Intravenous Lacosamide
Sept. 8, 2004
Positive Trial Results for SCHWARZ PHARMA's Epilepsy Treatment