New Drug Shows Promise For Treating Epileptic Seizures, Bipolar Disorder And Neuropathic Pain

Main Category: Epilepsy
Also Included In: Bipolar
Article Date: 11 Apr 2007 - 15:00 PDT

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A new study appearing in the latest issue of Epilepsia shows that a new drug called Eslicarbazepine (ESL) shows promise as a treatment for epilepsy patients whose symptoms remain uncontrolled with existing medications. A once-daily dose was shown to be most effective, offering patients added convenience as current treatments can involve several doses per day.

The trial was conducted across 19 locations in five European countries: Croatia, The Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania and Poland. Patients with at least four partial-onset seizures per month, in spite of treatment with other medications, were administered ESL doses ranging between 400mg and 1,200mg. The study demonstrates that ESL is well tolerated and effective when used as adjunct therapy for adult patients with partial epilepsy, fully eliminating seizures in 24 percent of tested patients. The occurrence of side effects was also low compared to other current treatment methods.

No age- or gender-related differences were found in the effectiveness of the treatment. "Our study shows that ESL was safe and well tolerated," says Patrício Soares-da-Silva, co-author of the study. "We believe that ESL may have the potential to become an important new central nervous system drug not only for the treatment of epilepsy, but also for patients suffering from bipolar disorder and neuropathic pain."

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Contact: Sean Wagner
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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