International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences, 2012, 1, 3, 85-90.
Published: September 2012
Type: New Drug Information
Authors: Deepika Tikoo, and Meenakshi Gupta
Author(s) affiliations:
Deepika Tikoo1*, Meenakshi Gupta2
1Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Amritsar, Punjab, India
2Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Abstract
Epilepsy, a neurological disorder, is currently the target of many drug research companies that are constantly involved in the development of new therapies with novel mechanisms of action, as the current plethora of antiepileptics have not been successful in achieving full control of the seizures. Retigabine (Ezogabine) represents a new paradigm in the treatment of epilepsy, as it is the first drug of its kind that targets neuronal voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv7) and facilitates them, thus decreasing the repetitive firing of neurons. It has been approved by the European Medicines Agency and the USA Food and Drug Administration as an add-on therapy for use in patients 18 years and above suffering from partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalization.