Eisai's antiepileptic agent, Banzel, receives approval in Canada
September 8, 2011
Eisai Co., Ltd. announced that its Canadian pharmaceutical subsidiary Eisai Limited ("Eisai Canada") has received approval to market the company's antiepileptic agent Banzel™ (rufinamide) for adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) in children 4 years and older and adults. Banzel™ is the first product for which Eisai Canada has received marketing authorization from Health Canada.
Rufinamide is a triazole derivative structurally unrelated to currently marketed antiepileptic drugs. It is believed to exert its antiepileptic effects by regulating the abnormal activity of sodium channels in the brain that cause seizures. The agent received approval in Europe in January 2007 and in the United States in November 2008 for the adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with LGS in children 4 years and older and adults. It is currently marketed in these regions under the brand names Inovelon® and Banzel®, respectively.
LGS is a severe form of epilepsy, affecting 1% to 4% of all Canadian children diagnosed with epilepsy. As children and adults living with LGS experience frequent seizures of multiple types, it is extremely difficult to control and significantly impacts the quality of life of both patients and their families.
For more information on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), please click here.
