Henrik Klitgaard, Alain Matagne, Jean-Marie Nicolas, Michel Gillard, Yves Lamberty, Marc De Ryck, Rafal M Kaminski, Karine Leclercq, Isabelle Niespodziany, Christian Wolff, Martyn Wood, Jonas Hannestad, Sophie Kervyn, Benoit Kenda
Despite availability of effective antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), many patients with epilepsy continue to experience refractory seizures and adverse events. Achievement of better seizure control and fewer side effects is key to improving quality of life. This review describes the rationale for the discovery and preclinical profile of brivaracetam (BRV), currently under regulatory review as adjunctive therapy for adults with partial-onset seizures. The discovery of BRV was triggered by the novel mechanism of action and atypical properties of levetiracetam (LEV) in preclinical seizure and epilepsy models...
April 2016: Epilepsia