UCB announces availability of Vimpat oral solution formulation

Jun 14 2010

Vimpat now available in 3 formulations, enabling consistent treatment across a broad range of clinical settings

UCB today announced the availability of an oral solution formulation of Vimpat- (lacosamide) C-V, an antiepileptic drug (AED) for add-on treatment of partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy age 17 years and older. Vimpat 10 mg/mL solution is now available in U.S. pharmacies.

Vimpat is now conveniently available in three formulations: oral tablets, oral solution and IV injection, ensuring that patients can maintain consistent Vimpat treatment in any clinical setting. Vimpat injection is available as an alternative for patients when oral administration is temporarily not feasible. Vimpat therapy can be initiated with either oral or IV administration, and patients can be converted between formulations-with equivalent dosing-without titration.

"Having Vimpat available as an oral solution is very good news," said Ilo E. Leppik, MD, Director, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, University of Minnesota. "There are many people for whom swallowing pills is difficult and the oral solution, which can be substituted milligram for milligram to the oral tablet, will be helpful to adults with swallowing difficulties. This will be particularly useful for elderly in nursing homes who may have gastric tubes in place."

"Bringing Vimpat to market in a third formulation spotlights UCB's commitment to providing a wide range of treatment options to people living with epilepsy," said James Zackheim, PhD, CNS Medical Director at UCB. "Long-term efficacy and safety data, and more than 50,000 global patient exposures, further strengthens Vimpat's role as an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults."

In pivotal studies, the most common adverse reactions occurring in greater than or equal to 10 percent of Vimpat-treated patients, and greater than placebo, were dizziness, headache, nausea and diplopia.