A new drug for the treatment of epilepsy, with the active substance kenobamate, was added a week ago to the electronic prescription and is covered by the insurance funds.

This drug comes in pill form and reduces seizures in adult patients by 50%.

In addition, two other drugs are expected to be released in our country within 2024, which are indicated for the treatment of Dravet, Lennox Gastaut and Rett syndromes in children.

What is kenobamati?

“Kenobamati has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in March 2021, but only a few days ago it was included in the electronic prescription. It is in pill form and is taken once a day.

It is mainly indicated for adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy with focal seizures, with or without secondary generalization. That is, it concerns 1/3 of patients who are not controlled by other pharmaceutical options. Taking kenobamate achieves a 50% reduction in seizures improving the quality of life of the patients”, said – among others – the deputy professor of Neurology AUTH, 1st neurological clinic PGNT AHEPA Martha Spiliotis, during her speech on “Newest antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of epilepsy”, in the context of the 9th of the Panhellenic Congress of Applied Pharmacy (PSEF), organized by the Pharmaceutical Association of Thessaloniki.

At the same time, he noted that in 2024 two more medicines are expected in the form of an oral solution. The one drug with the active substance fenfluramine was approved in 2020 by the FDA and in 2021 by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of seizures in Dravet syndrome, a myoclonic epilepsy of infantile type that usually occurs between the ages of 4 months and 3 years . In 2023, it also received approval for Lennox Gastaut syndrome, one of the most severe forms of epilepsy in children aged 2 years and older, as well as in adults. In addition, in 2023 the drug trofinetide, which reduces inflammation and neuronal apoptosis, was approved for children aged 2 years and older and for adults as a first-line treatment for Rett syndrome, a genetic neurological disorder that occurs only in girls with mental retardation, motor disability and epilepsy. The research with the well-known ketamine (antiepileptic used intravenously in epileptic condition in ICU) in oral administration for Rett syndrome will also proceed to phase 3.

New formulations are also expected for multiple sclerosis

The messages for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (multiple sclerosis) are also encouraging.

As pointed out by the Associate Professor of Neurology-Neuroimmunology AUTH, 1st Neurological Clinic PGNT AHEPA, Efrosony Koutsouraki, in her speech on “Disease-modifying drugs in multiple sclerosis” during the 9th PSEF, it is estimated that over 2.8 million people throughout in the world suffer from multiple sclerosis, in Greece more than 18,000 and in Europe more than 800,000 with a more frequent age of onset between 20-40 years and prevalence in women (1.5-3 times more than men).

“Early initiation of treatment changes the natural course of the disease that leads to the reduction of patients’ functionality, because it appears that the degenerative process begins very early, significantly affects the progression of disability and is linked to neuroinflammation, which is primarily targeted by more than the drugs approved for the disease.

15 drugs to treat the disease are already on sale in Greece, while six more are expected. The early initiation of treatment in patients with active multiple sclerosis can lead to a long-term remission of the symptoms of the disease and the avoidance of severe disability, although of course the definitive treatment of the disease has not yet been found”, pointed out Mrs. Koutsouraki.

According to her, the choice of drugs is based on the greatest benefit for each patient depending on the particularities of his life and the type of multiple sclerosis he presents, as well as the least possibility of long-term serious side effects.

“What is important for women with multiple sclerosis to know is that everyone can have a child if they want to. The conditions for this are planning, the disease being in remission, stabilized, without relapses. In the event that the disease has not stabilized, but a pregnancy follows, if the treating neurologist deems it necessary, the patient may also take some medications during the pregnancy so that the disease does not worsen, but also does not burden the fetus. In addition, studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the hereditary predisposition to the occurrence of multiple sclerosis in children whose parents have the disease”, emphasized Mrs. Koutsouraki.