For years, physicians have prescribed benzodiazepines to control a wide range of epileptic seizures. The non-selective positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GABAA receptors have some serious side effects—including abuse potential, cognitive impairment and sedation—which have made a growing number of clinicians reluctant to prescribe them.

A new, selective GABAA partial PAM appears to provide an effective alternative, based on results of a small study that will be presented on Dec. 2 at the 2017 American Epilepsy Society (AES) annual meeting in Washington, DC (abstract 1.290).

(Source: pxhere)

The phase 2a double-blind study randomized seven patients who all completed a four-period cross-over evaluation of two doses of the investigational drug (17.5 mg and 52.5 mg), PF-06372865, placebo and lorazepam, which served as the active control. The researchers assessed each patient’s response to intermittent photic stimulation that evoked photoparoxysmal EEG response at baseline, prior to administration of each study drug, and one, two, four and six hours after administration of each agent.

The investigational drug reduced the mean standard photosensitivity range significantly more than placebo, with the smaller dose achieving a slightly greater reduction (-6.2 vs -5.4) compared to placebo.

Lorazepam achieved a mean reduction of the standard photosensitivity range (SPR) of -5.2. Six of the seven patients had complete suppression of SPR on both doses of PF-06372865 and lorazepam and two had complete suppression with placebo.

The most common adverse events associated with the investigational drug were dizziness and somnolence. There were no reported deaths, serious adverse events or discontinuations, according to the study.