Europe-wide cases brought to EMA in valproate hearing

26 September 2017

Families from across Europe are on Tuesday having their say on an epilepsy drug that raises the risk of birth defects.

Valproate was developed more than half a century ago by French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN), which gave it the brand name Depakine to treat epilepsy and Depakote or Depamide for bipolar disorders.

But since 1967, between 2,150 and 4,100 French children were born with at least one serious congenital disorder after being exposed in the womb to valproate, according to a study by France’s drug regulator.

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