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Open Access 01-03-2017 | Review

Eslicarbazepine acetate: its effectiveness as adjunctive therapy in clinical trials and open studies

Authors: S. D. Shorvon, E. Trinka, B. J. Steinhoff, M. Holtkamp, V. Villanueva, J. Peltola, E. Ben-Menachem

Published in: Journal of Neurology | Issue 3/2017

Abstract

Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a once-daily antiepileptic drug that is approved as adjunctive therapy in adults with focal-onset seizures. Following oral administration, ESL is rapidly metabolized to its active metabolite, eslicarbazepine, which acts primarily by enhancing slow inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels. The efficacy and safety/tolerability of ESL in the adjunctive setting were established in a comprehensive Phase III program (n = 1702 randomized patients) and this evidence has been supported by several open studies (n = 864). ESL treatment has demonstrated improvements in health-related quality of life, in both randomized clinical trials and open studies. ESL has also been shown to be usually well tolerated and efficacious when used in the adjunctive setting in elderly patients. The effectiveness of ESL as the only add-on to antiepileptic drug monotherapy has been demonstrated in a multinational study (n = 219), subgroup analyses of which have also shown it to be efficacious and generally well tolerated in patients who had previously not responded to carbamazepine therapy. Open studies have also demonstrated improvements in tolerability in patients switched overnight from oxcarbazepine to ESL. Due to differences in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and metabolism, there may be clinical situations in which it is appropriate to consider switching patients from oxcarbazepine or carbamazepine to ESL.

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Title: Eslicarbazepine acetate: its effectiveness as adjunctive therapy in clinical trials and open studies
Authors: S. D. Shorvon
E. Trinka
B. J. Steinhoff
M. Holtkamp
V. Villanueva
J. Peltola
E. Ben-Menachem
Publication date: 01-03-2017
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Journal of Neurology / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 0340-5354
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1459
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8338-2

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

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Eslicarbazepine acetate: its effectiveness as adjunctive therapy in clinical trials and open studies

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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