Novel anti-epileptic drug gets PBS recommendation for Dravet syndrome

Epilepsy

By Michael Woodhead

7 May 2020

The novel anti-epileptic drug stiripentol (Diacomit) has been recommended for PBS listing in the treatment of severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy, also known as Dravet syndrome.

At its March meeting, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended the drug be subsidised on the PBS as adjuvant treatment of patients with generalised clonic and tonic-clonic seizures associated with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy who are not adequately controlled by prior lines of therapy.

The Committee said there was a high unmet clinical need for effective treatment options in this therapeutic area, and noted that the patient population is small.

Striripentol is TGA registered for the treatment infants whose seizures are not adequately controlled with a benzodiazepine (usually clobazam) and valproate.

The drug is thought to have two mechanisms of action, as a GABAergic agent that acts on different sites than benzodiazepines, and also by inhibition of CYP metabolism to potentiate the action of other antiepileptic agents.

 

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