Eisai's Fycompa shows clear therapeutic benefit in hard-to-treat epilepsy

Japanese drug major Eisai’s (TYO: 4523) antiepileptic drug (AED) Fycompa (perampanel), shows a clear therapeutic benefit in difficult-to-treat patients with partial epilepsy, according to the investigators of two new analyses on early clinical experience of perampanel, presented on May 9 at the joint meeting of the German and Austrian Societies for Epileptology and the Swiss League Against Epilepsy in Interlaken, Switzerland. Perampanel was approved for use in the Europe Union in July 2012 and is now prescribed in several European countries, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The two analyses examined independently and on their own initiative data from two major German epilepsy centers and investigated effects on seizure frequency and potential side effects of perampanel treatment in clinical practice. The results describe the first real life experiences of perampanel as an adjunctive therapy in patients with refractory partial epilepsy.

“The results of these early analyses are a promising indication of the clinical benefit perampanel can offer to patients with partial epilepsy, and are particularly significant for patients who have previously tried a number of AEDs or are taking a combination of therapies, yet still experience a high seizure frequency,” said Bernard Steinhoff from the Epilepsy Centre Kork in Kehl-Kork, Germany. “Around 30% of patients with epilepsy are, or become, refractory to treatment with available antiepileptic drugs, meaning there is still a significant need for novel and effective AEDs. Our findings show perampanel is of clear therapeutic benefit as an adjunctive therapy,” Prof Steinhoff added.