Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

Infants who develop febrile seizures a short time after being vaccinated and are positive for a disease-causing mutation in the SCN1A gene should be considered for a diagnosis of Dravet syndrome, a new study shows. The study, “SCN1A variants in vaccine-related febrile seizures: a prospective study,” was published in…

Contrary to what was previously believed, the ketogenic diet — a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet— did not significantly promote cognition and neuropsychological development in children with Dravet syndrome over time, according to a study. The study, “Efficacy of the ketogenic diet in Chinese children with Dravet syndrome: A focus on…

Families caring for patients with Dravet syndrome experience significant emotional, social, and financial impact, according to a multinational study. This study also found that directs costs from non-seizure-related healthcare use are four times higher than costs directly linked to seizures. High seizure burden was associated with higher healthcare costs as…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted a new drug application (NDA) for UCB’s Nayzilam (midazolam) nasal spray for the acute treatment of seizures including seizure clusters and acute repetitive seizures. Acceptance of this NDA could result in Nayzilam’s approval in the U.S. in early 2019, potentially…

A compound isolated from spider venom called Hm1a helps reduce seizure susceptibility and mortality in mice with Dravet syndrome, according to researchers. Their study, “Selective NaV1.1 activation rescues Dravet syndrome mice from seizures and premature death,” was published in PNAS. Dravet syndrome is resistant to several pharmaceutical therapies…

Perampanel, as an add-on therapy, efficiently reduced seizure rates in children with Dravet syndrome, a real-world study shows. The study, “Efficacy and tolerability of perampanel in children and adolescents with pharmacoresistant epilepsy: The first real-world evaluation in Asian pediatric neurology clinics,” was published in the journal Epilepsy &…

Zogenix reported positive top-line results from a second confirmatory Phase 3 study investigating the use of ZX008 (low-dose fenfluramine hydrochloride) in treating children and young adults with Dravet syndrome, and said that it plans to request regulatory approval. The Phase 3 trial (NCT02926898) — also known as study…

A phenomenon known as “genetic mosaicism” may contribute to milder symptoms in people with Dravet syndrome and related disorders, a new study shows. The study, “Mosaicism of de novo pathogenic SCN1A variants in epilepsy is a frequent phenomenon that correlates with variable phenotypes,” was published in the journal…

Levetiracetam (marketed as Keppra), an anti-epileptic therapy, is significantly more effective than phenobarbital medication in infants with epilepsy, a recent study found, which could have implications for patients with Dravet syndrome. In the study, “Comparative Effectiveness of Levetiracetam vs Phenobarbital for Infantile Epilepsy,” published in JAMA Pediatrics, scientists…