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Fenfluramine May Have Role in Dravet Syndrome

— Nearly 75% of patients had seizure frequency cut by at least half

Last Updated May 11, 2018
Ƶ MedicalToday

LOS ANGELES -- Patients with Dravet syndrome may find a reduction in seizures with ZX008 (fenfluramine HCl oral solution) after failing treatment with stiripentol, a drug currently only available in the U.S. via a compassionate-use request. Stiripentol is approved for Dravet syndrome in Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan.

Post-hoc analysis of a phase III trial of ZX008 showed a 60.8% reduction over placebo in mean monthly convulsive seizures with a 0.8 mg/kg/day dose (P=0.002), reported Elaine C. Wirrell, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. At a lower 0.2-mg/kg/day dose there was a nonsignificant 35.1% reduction over placebo.

Among the 22 patients randomized to receive the 0.8 mg/kg/day dose, 86.4% saw a 25% reduction in major motor seizures over 28 days (OR 23, P=0.001), 72.7% patients saw a 50% reduction (OR 24.7, P=0.006), and 50% saw a 75% reduction (OR 15.8, P=0.036).

There were more treatment-emergent adverse events reported in those receiving the higher dose, the most common of which being decreased appetite -- unsurprising since fenfluramine was once used in Fen-Phen, the weight-loss combination drug that was pulled from the market by the FDA in the 1990s.

In a cardiovascular safety analysis, there were no vases of cardiac valvulopathy reported throughout the 2-week titration or 12-week maintenance phases of the study.

  • author['full_name']

    Kristen Monaco is a senior staff writer, focusing on endocrinology, psychiatry, and nephrology news. Based out of the New York City office, she’s worked at the company since 2015.

Disclosures

The study on ZX008 was funded by Zogenix, Inc.

Primary Source

American Academy of Neurology

Wirrell EC, et al "ZX008 (fenfluramine HCl oral solution) in Dravet syndrome: effect on convulsive seizure frequency in subjects who failed treatment with stiripentol prior to Study 1, a phase 3 trial" AAN 2018; Abstract P4.469.