• Ben Thomas and Paul Farquhar-Smith.
• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH , UK.
• Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2011 Nov 1;12(16):2565-71.

IntroductionIn early 2011, the FDA gave approval to a new preparation of gabapentin, licensed for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Gabapentin is commonly used worldwide for multiple indications, which include neuropathic pain. The new drug combines generic gabapentin with a polymeric delivery system allowing for extended release and is licensed to be given only as a once-daily dosing regimen.Areas CoveredThe article aims to review the available evidence relating to the pharmacokinetics, tolerability and efficacy of extended-release gabapentin (GpER). It addresses the current state of the drug's progress through regulation and the intention of its manufacturer for the market.Expert OpinionAlthough GpER has been approved by the FDA for once-daily use in PHN, there is a relative paucity of data for both its efficacy and the optimum dosing schedule (once or twice a day). There are no data directly comparing GpER with the immediate-release preparation or other first-line treatments for PHN. Therefore, the true status of GpER as a treatment option needs to be enhanced with additional experimental evidence for its efficacy and favourable side-effect profile.

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