New data for Vimpat® (lacosamide) showed sustained efficacy for up to 5 years and improved seizure control

"The new data showed that lacosamide provided long-term additional partial-onset seizure control when added to a broad range of AEDs and when current therapy was not enough," said Dr Jacqueline French, Professor in the department of Neurology, NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre, U.S.

In addition, laboratory results of the first direct in-vitro comparison of lacosamide with other AEDs were also presented at the Congress and provided additional evidence of lacosamide's novel mode of action.(4)

In the European Union, Vimpat® (film-coated tablets, syrup, and solution for infusion) is approved as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization in patients with epilepsy, aged 16 years and older.(5) Vimpat® is approved in the U.S. as an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy who are 17 years and older, and is available as oral tablets, oral solution and as an intravenous (IV) injection.(6) The maximum recommended daily dose for Vimpat® in the European Union and the US is 400 mg/day.(5,6) Vimpat® solution for infusion may be used when oral administration is temporarily not feasible. Vimpat® has a novel mechanism of action that is different from all currently available AEDs, although the precise mechanism by which Vimpat® exerts its antiepileptic effect in humans is yet to be fully elucidated.(5,6,7,8)

About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative medicines with a focus on the fields of central nervous system and immunology disorders. Employing more than 9 000 people in over 40 countries, UCB produced revenue of EUR 3.1 billion in 2009. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

1. French J, Ben-Menachem E, Isojarvi J et al. Long-term efficacy of lacosamide for partial-onset seizures: An interim evaluation of completer cohorts exposed to lacosamide for up to 5 years. Presented at the 9th European Congress on Epileptology, Rhodes, Greece. 27 June-1 July 2010
2. Isojarvi J, Hebert D, Doty P et al. Evaluation of lacosamide efficacy and safety as adjunctive therapy in patients receiving traditional sodium channel blocking AEDs. Presented at the 9th European Congress on Epileptology, Rhodes, Greece. 27 June-1 July 2010
3. Sake J-K, Hebert .D, Doty .P et al. Lacosamide efficacy and safety in patients taking AEDs that act on non-sodium channel targets. Presented at the 9th European Congress on Epileptology, Rhodes, Greece. 27 June-1 July 2010
4. Niespodziany I, Leclère N, Vandenplas C, Foerch P and Wolff C. Comparative study of lacosamide with other sodium channel blocking antiepileptic drugs on sodium current slow inactivation. Presented at the 9th European Congress on Epileptology, Rhodes, Greece. 27 June-1 July 2010
5. Vimpat® European Summary of Product Characteristics http://www.emea.europa.eu/humandocs/PDFs/EPAR/vimpat/emea-combined-h863en.pdf (Updated June 2010)
6. Vimpat® US Prescribing Information, http://www.vimpat.com/pdfs/PI.pdf (Accessed 28th May 2010)
7. Beyreuther BK, Freitag J, Heers C, Krebsfänger N, Scharfenecker U, Stöhr T. Lacosamide: A review of preclinical properties. CNS Drug Reviews. 2007;13(1):21-42
8. Errington AC, Stohr T, Heers C, Lees G. The investigational anticonvulsant lacosamide selectively enhances slow inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels. Mol Pharmacol. 2008 Jan;73(1):157-69
9. Ben-Menachem E. Lacosamide: an investigational drug for adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures. Drugs Today 2008; 44: 35-40