UCB's Vimpat effective in achieving seizure control in patients with refractory epilepsy

Results published in the June online edition of Seizure from an independent multicenter study covering 19 epilepsy clinics in the UK showed that oral lacosamide – Belgian drugmaker UCB’s (Euronext Brussels) Vimpat - administered as adjunctive therapy in refractory epilepsy is an effective and generally well-tolerated treatment, achieving seizure freedom for some patients.

“This is the largest independently reviewed and published cohort of patients on lacosamide,” said Robert Elwes, consultant neurologist and Neurophysiologist, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK, adding: ”The results reflect real world experience with lacosamide and it is welcomed news that the outcomes are generally similar to those in the published randomised trials.”

The study included 403 adult patients with refractory epilepsy across 19 sites in the UK, in whom lacosamide had been prescribed as adjunctive therapy to a range of concomitant anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Mean follow-up (FU) of patients was 11.6 months with the duration on lacosamide ranging from one day to 42 months. 92% (372/403) of patients presented with partial epilepsy and 79% (320/403) were taking two or more AEDs when lacosamide was added (mean=2.29, range 0-4).