News

Parents of children with Dravet syndrome in Spain say they don’t get enough support to help meet the emotional and economic challenges of the disease, a study found. “The findings of this study underscore the need for policy reforms that specifically address the challenges faced not only by individuals…

Although high-quality data are lacking, available evidence suggests that a procedure called vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) — which targets a large nerve connecting the brain and the gut — can help to reduce seizure frequency in some people with Dravet syndrome. That’s according to a new study titled…

Having a child with Dravet syndrome affects the whole family, and it’s common for parents to feel burnt out and sleep-deprived and for siblings to feel unseen, a study reported. Clinicians should be proactive about offering information about support networks for families affected by Dravet syndrome, the study’s authors…

Diacomit (stiripentol) may be more effective than other available Dravet syndrome treatments at reducing the frequency of seizures, according to an analysis of data from multiple clinical trials. The therapy “can be recommended as the first choice among the included drug regimens for reducing seizures in [Dravet] patients,”…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough therapy designation to Longboard Pharmaceuticals‘ bexicaserin to treat seizures associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), including Dravet syndrome, in patients 2 and older. The designation is meant to accelerate the development and regulatory review of medications intended to…

Epidiolex (cannabidiol) can help to reduce seizure frequency in some adults with generalized or localized forms of epilepsy — including Dravet syndrome — that are resistant to other anti-seizures medications, according to a retrospective study in France. Among the 27% of patients who responded to this treatment, most…

Treatment with the experimental oral therapy bexicaserin led to sustained reductions in seizure frequency for children with Dravet syndrome and other types of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), according to new data from the PACIFIC Phase 1/2a clinical trial and its open-label extension study. The findings were announced by…

A Phase 3 clinical trial testing soticlestat in people with Dravet syndrome showed that patients given soticlestat tended to have fewer seizures than those given a placebo, but the difference did not quite reach statistical significance, so the study missed its main goal. While the treatment didn’t meet…

Add-on therapies Diacomit (stiripentol) and Fintepla (fenfluramine) were found to be more effective for seizure control in Dravet syndrome patients than Epidiolex (cannabidiol) in a recent indirect analysis of clinical trial data. Overall, Diacomit was best for stopping seizures altogether, and was associated with fewer treatment…

From honoring those lost to Dravet syndrome to sharing facts on social media, supporters are marking Dravet Syndrome Awareness Month, observed each June to call attention to the genetic disorder that affects an estimated one in 20,000 to 40,000 individuals globally. International Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day is June…