Sunovion Pharmaceuticals announces availability of Aptiom

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — Sunovion Pharmaceuticals on Monday announced that Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate), a once-daily antiepileptic drug, is now available across the United States.



The drug, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 8, 2013, is a prescription medicine used with other medicines to treat partial-onset seizures. The drug is available in four table strengths: 200 mg, 400 mg, 600 mg and 800 mg; it can be taken whole or crushed, with food or without.



“Epilepsy is a serious condition that not only affects the people who suffer from seizures, but also their family, caregivers and friends,” said Michael R. Sperling, M.D., professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University and director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Philadelphia. “Approximately one-third of those with epilepsy still have inadequate seizure control despite treatment, so we need new therapies. Aptiom is a welcome addition to our therapeutic toolkit that may help some patients.”



Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and affects nearly 2.2 million people in the United States, the company said. Partial-onset seizures are the most prevalent type of seizure and are connected with 60% of new epilepsy diagnoses.