Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

Up to 1 in 4 people with hard-to-treat epilepsy, including those with Dravet syndrome, were found to stop taking Epidiolex (cannabidiol) shortly after starting treatment, primarily due to side effects or a lack of efficacy, according to a real-world study. “Epidiolex is generally well-tolerated and the majority continued…

More severe epilepsy and greater behavioral challenges predict worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) up to 10 years later in people with Dravet syndrome, a study has found. In addition, early use of sodium channel blockers — a type of anti-seizure medication that should be avoided in most…

Biocodex has chosen Pantherx Rare specialty pharmacy to be the sole U.S. distributor of Diacomit (stiripentol), an add-on and oral anti-seizure medicine that is approved for people with Dravet syndrome, ages 2 and older. The pharmacy, licensed in all 50 states, will add Diacomit to its portfolio…

Treatment with soticlestat, an inhibitor of cholesterol turnover in the brain, protected against fever-induced seizures in two mouse models of Dravet syndrome, a study has found. In one of the models, the experimental therapy also prevented sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), a rare complication of seizures —…

Pharmaceutical giant UCB has agreed to buy Zogenix, the developer of Fintepla (fenfluramine), an oral add-on medicine that treats seizures associated with Dravet syndrome, a rare type of epilepsy. The purchase, which could cost UCB up to about $1.9 billion, is a step toward expanding the company’s…

Ovid Therapeutics has closed an agreement under which Takeda Pharmaceuticals will secure global rights to develop and market the investigational oral therapy soticlestat (previously TAK-935/OV935) for two rare epilepsy syndromes, one of which is Dravet syndrome, the company announced. Takeda had announced the exclusive agreement…