KEPPRA SUMMARY
Keppra® (levetiracetam) is an antiepileptic drug available as 250 mg (blue), 500 mg (yellow) and 750 mg (orange) tablets and as a clear, colorless, grape-flavored liquid (100 mg/mL) for oral administration.
Keppra® (levetiracetam) is indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.
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NEWS HIGHLIGHTSMedia Articles Related to Keppra (Levetiracetam)
NeuroTherapeutics Pharma Receives Investment From The Epilepsy Therapy Project
Source: Epilepsy News From Medical News Today [2009.11.11]
NeuroTherapeutics Pharma, Inc., or NTP, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced that it received a $100,000 investment from the Epilepsy Therapy Project. The Epilepsy Therapy Project invests in promising research efforts in order to help make new therapies a reality for patients, and the investment in NTP is one of the largest made in its history.
Ikano Therapeutics Receives Orphan Drug Designation For Epilepsy Drug
Source: Epilepsy News From Medical News Today [2009.11.11]
Ikano Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) announced that it has received Orphan Drug designation for midazolam in the acute treatment of certain forms of epileptic seizure known as cluster seizures or alternatively, as acute repetitive seizures. ITI has a nasally administered form of midazolam called ITI-111 in late stage clinical development that is aimed at the treatment of these specific seizure types in an outpatient setting where other routes of administration can be difficult or inappropriate.
Alzheimer's Society Comment On The Use Of Epilepsy Drugs To Treat Alzheimer's
Source: Epilepsy News From Medical News Today [2009.10.29]
Epilepsy drugs could be developed as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases according to research published in the journal Molecular Neurodegeneration. The study found that nerve cells lived longer when treated with T-type calcium-channel blockers, which are commonly used to treat epilepsy. 'This study is interesting since other research has shown that anti-convulsant drugs reduce the tangles of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's And Parkinson's Could Be Treated By Epilepsy Drugs
Source: Epilepsy News From Medical News Today [2009.10.29]
Researchers in the USA have discovered a potential new function for anti-epileptic drugs in treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Neurodegeneration, found that neurons in the brain were protected after treatment with T-type calcium-channel blockers, which are commonly used to treat epilepsy.
Epilepsy Treatment Is A Possible Culprit For Development Of Schizophrenia
Source: Epilepsy News From Medical News Today [2009.10.21]
Researchers say antiepilectic drug treatments administered when the brain is developing appear to trigger schizophrenia-like behavior in animal models. In humans, having a history of seizures in infancy is a significant risk factor for development of schizophrenia later in life, but it is not known whether the elevated risk is due to seizures themselves, or from side effects antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment.
Published Studies Related to Keppra (Levetiracetam)
Levetiracetam as add-on therapy for idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes with onset during adolescence: analysis of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. [2009.07]
PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive levetiracetam in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) syndromes with onset during adolescence: juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE), juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), and generalized tonic-clonic seizures on awakening (GTCSA)... CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive levetiracetam was well tolerated and provided effective seizure control over 16-24 weeks in patients with insufficiently controlled IGE syndromes with onset during adolescence (JAE, JME, and GTCSA), supporting levetiracetam's broad spectrum of efficacy.
Safety and feasibility of switching from phenytoin to levetiracetam monotherapy for glioma-related seizure control following craniotomy: a randomized phase II pilot study. [2009.07]
Seizures are common in patients with gliomas, and phenytoin (PHT) is frequently used to control tumor-related seizures. PHT, however, has many undesirable side effects (SEs) and drug interactions with glioma chemotherapy...
Pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam (Keppra) in treatment of patients with trigeminal neuralgia. [2009.06]
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine whether levetiracetam (LEV) is an effective drug for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN)... CONCLUSION: Given its established safety profile, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of LEV using enhancement enrollment design is needed to confirm these open-labelled findings using a wide variety of outcome measures.
Double-blind, crossover study of clonidine and levetiracetam in Tourette syndrome. [2009.06]
We compared the efficacy of clonidine and levetiracetam for treating tics in Tourette syndrome. Twelve subjects were enrolled; 10 (ages 8-27 years) with moderate to moderately severe tics completed a 15-week randomized, double-blind, flexible-dose crossover protocol... Treatment with clonidine, but not levetiracetam, resulted in a small reduction in Total Tic Score, with an effect size of 0.57.
A prospective pilot study of levetiracetam for body dysmorphic disorder. [2009.05]
INTRODUCTION: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an often severe disorder, but few treatment studies have been conducted. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study explored the efficacy and safety of the antiepileptic medication levetiracetam for BDD... CONCLUSION: Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled studies of levetiracetam for BDD are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Clinical Trials Related to Keppra (Levetiracetam)
Levetiracetam (Keppra) Tolerability in Cocaine Abusing Methadone-Maintained Patients. [Completed]
The proposed investigation will use methadone maintained patients who have concurrent cocaine
dependence in order to take advantage of the excellent (over 80%) treatment retention in this
patient group and to maximize treatment compliance by daily observed medication with both
methadone and levetiracetam. In the initial patients we will explore the tolerability of
escalating doses of levetiracetam as well as its potential role in reducing cocaine use, as
monitored by self-report and verified by three-times weekly urine toxicology testing in
methadone treated patients. The specific aim of this study is to evaluate the tolerability and
efficacy of levetiracetam 3 grams/day in modifying cocaine-using behavior, reducing cocaine
craving and attenuating cocaine's reinforcing effect among methadone-maintained patients
A Study Of The Safety And Efficacy Of Levetiracetam (Keppra®) (Ucb L059) In Children With Epilepsy [Completed]
The open-label study to allow pediatric patients who have participated in prior
Levetiracetam (Keppra®) studies to continue their treatment with adequate monitoring and
standardized follow-up care until Levetiracetam (Keppra®) is approved for use in children or
until the completion of the development program for pediatrics.
Long Term Follow-up Study With Levetiracetam XR (Keppra XR) for Partial Seizures [Enrolling by invitation]
To provide continued treatment of Keppra XR (Levetiracetam XR) and to assess the long term
safety of Keppra XR in patients with partial onset seizures.
A Phase IV-Pharmacovigilance Study of Keppra Greece - S.K.A.T.E.: Safety of Keppra as Adjunctive Therapy in Epilepsy [Completed]
Patients in community-based practices correspond to the 25% of patients who need a first
add-on drug when not controlled by their standard monotherapy drug. This was a therapeutic
use trial in which the population corresponds more closely to that seen in daily clinical
practice.
Pharmacovigilance Study of Keppra. SPAIN - SKATE : Safety of Keppra as Adjunctive Therapy in Epilepsy [Completed]
Patients with partial-onset seizures seen in community-based practices were to be included in
this therapeutic use study
- to assess the safety and tolerability of Keppra (Levetiracetam) and to confirm the
favorable safety of the drug found during clinical development
- to obtain further information about optimal dosing in daily clinical practice. Compared
to previous registration trials, the study population corresponded more closely to that
seen in daily clinical practice.
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PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTSBased on a total of 4 ratings/reviews, Keppra has an overall score of 7. The effectiveness score is 9.50 and the side effect score is 6.50. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. Below are selected reviews: the highest, the median and the lowest rated.
| | Keppra review by 54 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |  |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Simple partial seizure |
| Dosage & duration: | | 250mg taken 2x daily for the period of On-going |
| Other conditions: | | Asthma |
| Other drugs taken: | | Singulair, Allegra, Albuterol, Flovent, Flonase | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | The benefits of taking all these asthma medications is that I have been pretty much symptom free. The Flovent has been particularly helpful in preventing flareups of my symptoms which has greatly reduced the need for my Albuterol. The benefits of taking the Keppra is that I have only had one seizure episode since I began treatment in 2006. The episode lasted only seconds. |
| Side effects: | | I have no side effects from taking my asthma medications. I experienced a lack of enery or just feeling tired when I first started taking the Keppra in the morning. I do not have that system any longer. |
| Comments: | | I take my asthma medications daily and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. The same is true for my seizure medication. |
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| | Keppra review by 38 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |  |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Extremely Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | grand mal seizures |
| Dosage & duration: | | 500mg. twice a day taken twice a day for the period of 6 yrs |
| Other conditions: | | none |
| Other drugs taken: | | none | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | seizures dissipated |
| Side effects: | | brain fog, slurring, neurological switching, i.e, right hand dominant at times would switch to left, thyroid malfunction, high FSH levels and very early perimenopause, memory lapses, cognitive dysfunction |
| Comments: | | Began with Keppra 1000mg..wasn't enough to control seizure activity - increased to 1500 mg per day and was non-functional. Reduced to 1000 mg per day and sought alternative methods..research by Harvard showed magnesium deficit in those with seizure disorders..began magnesium injections and increased essential fatty acids..through proper nutrition, supplementation and accupuncture, no more seizure medication and seizure free...do want to note that seizures began during the spraying of the neurotoxin anvil for the West Nile virus. |
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| | Keppra review by 38 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Extremely Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | grand mal seizures |
| Dosage & duration: | | 500mg. twice a day taken twice a day for the period of 6 yrs |
| Other conditions: | | none |
| Other drugs taken: | | none | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | seizures dissipated |
| Side effects: | | brain fog, slurring, neurological switching, i.e, right hand dominant at times would switch to left, thyroid malfunction, high FSH levels and very early perimenopause, memory lapses, cognitive dysfunction |
| Comments: | | Began with Keppra 1000mg..wasn't enough to control seizure activity - increased to 1500 mg per day and was non-functional. Reduced to 1000 mg per day and sought alternative methods..research by Harvard showed magnesium deficit in those with seizure disorders..began magnesium injections and increased essential fatty acids..through proper nutrition, supplementation and accupuncture, no more seizure medication and seizure free...do want to note that seizures began during the spraying of the neurotoxin anvil for the West Nile virus. |
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Page last updated: 2009-11-11
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