Open AccessNew treatment option for partial-onset seizures: efficacy and safety of lacosamide
Author(s) -
Steve S. Chung
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
therapeutic advances in neurological disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.684
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1756-2864
pISSN - 1756-2856
DOI - 10.1177/1756285609355850
Subject(s) - lacosamide , medicine , safety profile , refractory (planetary science) , epilepsy , intensive care medicine , clinical trial , adverse effect , pharmacology , psychiatry , physics , astrobiology
More than 30% of epilepsy patients remain refractory despite the advent of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) over two decades. Although a small percentage of these refractory patients may become seizure free when a new AED is added, combined administration of AEDs or the application of novel AEDs is the most common therapeutic option when surgical treatment cannot be offered. The most recently approved AED in Europe and the USA is lacosamide (LCM), which offers new mechanisms of action and favorable safety profiles. This article reviews LCM’s molecular mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic profiles as well as efficacy and safety from phase II and III clinical trials. In addition, comparison between LCM and other existing AEDs is discussed.