Epilepsy Foundation Welcomes New Monotherapy Treatment Option for Adults Living with Partial-onset Seizures

VIMPAT® (lacosamide) C-V has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a monotherapy treatment for partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy aged 17 years and older. Vimpat was previously approved in the U.S. as adjunctive treatment for partial seizures in adults. This new indications allows Vimpat to be used alone for the treatment of partial seizures, thus improving the ability to individualize and tailor treatment for each patient.

The FDA also approved a new single loading dose administration option for all formulations of Vimpat. This means that Vimpat can be started more quickly by giving a single 200 mg loading dose (given by mouth or injection) when the drug is first begun. Vimpat is then given at a dose of 100 mg twice a day and increased as needed on a weekly basis to the recommended maintenance dose. The most common side effects to the loading dose were dizziness, headache, paraesthesia and gait disturbance. The loading dose should be administered with medical supervision.

These new approvals by the FDA broaden the treatment options available to adults living with partial seizures. Epilepsy management has been limited by not having enough medications available for use as monotherapy. Nathan Fountain MD, chair of the Epilepsy Foundation Professional Advisory Board, stressed the importance of these changes for people with epilepsy.

“While many people need more than one seizure medication to control seizures, the burden of side effects from multiple seizure medications can be enormous,” said Fountain. “Knowing that Vimpat can be given safely as monotherapy with similar effectiveness is critical. The ability to give a loading dose to start the drug more quickly is also very helpful for people having frequent seizures or at risk for seizure emergencies or injury. A therapeutic dose can be reached more quickly with the goal of controlling seizures faster.”