A new anti-epileptic drug (AED), Fycompa (perampanel), has been launched today by the pharmaceutical company, Eisai.
Up to 70 per cent of people with epilepsy could have their seizures controlled but only 52 per cent actually do. This drug may offer a potential treatment to people who have partial-onset seizures that are not currently controlled.
The key aim of epilepsy treatment is achieving seizure control, with the minimum side-effects. The more wide-ranging the treatment options available, the more chance there is of people with epilepsy having their seizures fully controlled while experiencing minimum side-effects.
Epilepsy Action’s deputy chief executive, Simon Wigglesworth, said: “As we understand it Fycopma works in a different way to existing AEDs. There is hope that it may be effective for some people that other AEDs have not worked for. It also seems to have been well tolerated with few side-effects.
“We welcome the availability of new treatments and it is encouraging to see drug development is progressing to a new level. It is also good to see that the UK is the first country to gain access to this treatment and it may be available to NHS patients with epilepsy in the future.”
For more information about epilepsy and Epilepsy Action, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk
For more information about Fycompa, visit http://www.eisai.com/news/news201249.html