Brussels, Belgium, Atlanta, Ga., November 17, 2020: UCB, a global pharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved VIMPAT® (lacosamide) CV as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (PGTCS) in patients four years of age and older and VIMPAT injection for intravenous use in children four years of age and older.1 PGTCS is a type of seizure that occurs all over the brain, affecting both sides of the brain from the start, causing muscles to stiffen and convulsions to occur for up to a few minutes.2
“These approvals underscore UCB’s commitment to people living with epilepsy and our focus on finding solutions for specific unmet needs within the epilepsy community.” said Mike Davis, Head of U.S. Neurology at UCB. “We are pleased that VIMPAT is now available as a treatment option for people living with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures on their journey to seizure control.”
The PGTCS approval is based, in part, on results of a Phase 3 study recently published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.3 Adjunctive treatment with VIMPAT resulted in a significantly lower risk of developing a second PGTCS during the 24-week treatment period, with the corresponding risk reduction being 45% (p=0.001), and a significantly higher rate of freedom from PGTCS during the treatment period compared with placebo (31.3% vs 17.2%, p=0.011).1
People living with generalized tonic-clonic seizures have an increased risk of injury4 and those who experienced three or more in one year had a fifteen-fold increased risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.5
“The treatment of primary generalized tonic-clonic (convulsive) seizures is challenging, with about one-third of patients still being refractory while on therapy,” said David Vossler, MD, FAAN FACNS FAES, Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. “Bolstered by a wealth of data demonstrating VIMPAT’s efficacy and safety, this new indication gives people suffering from PGTCS a chance at freedom from these seizures, which many have never experienced.”
· New approval for VIMPAT[®] (lacosamide) CV in the U.S. as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (PGTCS) in patients four years of age and older
· All three VIMPAT formulations, including injection for intravenous use, are now indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures and as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of PGTCS in patients four years of age and older
· These approvals further help patients with epilepsy who may have had limited treatment options in the past, while reinforcing UCB’s leadership in transforming epilepsy care
· In October, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a positive opinion for VIMPAT as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of PGTCS in adults, adolescents and children from four years of age with idiopathic generalized epilepsy
Results from the Phase 3 study showed that VIMPAT was generally tolerated in patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) and PGTCS. The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) reported in patients treated with VIMPAT were dizziness (23%), somnolence (17%), headache (14%), and nausea (10%) compared to 7%, 14%, 10%, and 6%, respectively, of patients who received placebo.1
Regarding the expanded pediatric population, VIMPAT tablets and oral solution were already approved to treat partial-onset seizures in adults and children four years and older as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy. In the US, VIMPAT injection was previously approved for the treatment of partial-onset seizures only in adult patients (17 years of age and older).
In Europe VIMPAT is currently not indicated in patients with PGTCS, however, in October 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a positive opinion for VIMPAT as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of PGTCS in adults, adolescents and children from four years of age with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.6 Regulatory reviews for use of VIMPAT in the treatment of PGTCS are also underway in the Japan and Australia.
