Expert opinion on investigational drugs
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Mar 2008
ReviewBrivaracetam: a new drug in development for epilepsy and neuropathic pain.
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder with a worldwide prevalence estimated to be 0.5-1.0% of the population. Many potent antiepileptic drugs (AED) have been used for treatment but still about 30% of patients are resistant to current AEDs. Some AEDs are also used for the treatment of neuropathic pain. ⋯ Brivaracetam represents a new mechanism of action being a ligand of synaptic vesicle protein 2A. It is undergoing Phase III evaluation after a successful Phase II programme in which was effective as an adjunctive treatment in partial-onset epilepsy (50 mg/day). It is well tolerated, without serious adverse side effects.
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This perspective is the last in a series of papers discussing drugs dropped from clinical development in 2006. Specifically, this paper focuses on the 16 drugs discontinued for the treatment of cancer, the largest area of pharma R&D. This was based on a search of the Pharmaprojects database for drugs reaching Phase I-III clinical trials.