Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Treatment with add-on Diacomit (stiripentol) rapidly reduced seizure frequency and extended seizure-free periods in children with Dravet syndrome, according to additional data from the treatment’s STICLO clinical trials. Open-label extension study data, which had not been previously reported, showed that placebo-treated patients who switched to Diacomit experienced a…

New treatment approaches, such as gene therapies, that aim to restore the activity of SCN1A, the gene often defective in Dravet syndrome patients, must remain active throughout adulthood to adequately maintain brain function, a lab study suggests. Using a Dravet mouse model, the work showed that activating a…

Recurrent seizures in a man with Dravet syndrome and high body temperature were managed by treating the recurrent infections and switching from Zonegran (zonisamide) to Fycompa (perampanel), a case study reports. The researchers recommended that clinicians consider treating infections early and discontinuing Zonegra if the medication causes…

Levodopa, the standard treatment for motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, improved walking abilities in people with Dravet syndrome, according to a small clinical trial. Most walking gains occurred in younger patients with better walking abilities before levodopa treatment. “Our findings suggest that levodopa treatment may be…

Fintepla (fenfluramine) eased brain inflammation, protected nerve cells from damage and death, and extended survival in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome, a study showed. “These results support clinical observations that [Fintepla] may have benefits beyond seizures,” its scientists wrote. The article, “Fenfluramine increases survival…

STK-001, an investigational treatment for children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome, markedly reduced seizure frequency and improved cognition and behavior, according to new findings in Phase 1/2a clinical trials. “The substantial and sustained reductions in seizure frequency and improvements in cognition and behavior observed in our STK-001 clinical studies…

Nighttime monitoring devices are used by most Dravet syndrome caregivers — at least 75% — to detect seizures and prevent sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, or SUDEP, according to the results of a questionnaire-based study in Germany. Such monitoring is important because, statistics show, children with Dravet have…

Newer antiseizure medications for children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome outperformed placebos and reduced seizure frequency by at least 50% in clinical trials, according to a pooled analysis of study data. The review also compared the benefits and safety of such therapies, each of which is approved in the…

Note: This article was updated April 21, 2023, to reflect that Fintepla was originally classified a Schedule IV controlled substance due to its low risk of abuse or misuse. A risk evaluation and mitigation strategy established by Zogenix that limits Fintepla’s access due to links with cardiovascular-related side effects remains…

A higher single dose of STK-001 will be administered in the U.S.-based Phase 1/2a MONARCH trial that is testing Stoke Therapeutics’ experimental therapy in children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed Stoke to test a 70 mg dose in the MONARCH…