Perampanel: a novel antiepileptic for the adjunctive treatment of refractory partial onset seizures.

Perampanel is a selective noncompetitive AMPA-type glutamate receptor antagonist which has demonstrated anticonvulsant activity in experimental seizure models and antiepileptic activity in clinical trials. Perampanel has a long mean elimination half-life of 105 hours but this may be reduced in the presence of enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs. Adjunctive use of perampanel at 4-12 mg/day in refractory partial-onset seizures reduced seizures by 23-34% in short-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. These reductions were maintained long-term in open-label extension studies lasting up to 4 years. Dizziness, somnolence and headache were the most common treatment-emergent adverse events; discontinuation rates due to adverse events approximated 13% in long-term studies. Perampanel's efficacy and tolerability outcomes are broadly comparable with other agents licensed for adjunctive use in refractory partial onset seizures. Copyright 2013 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.