The results of 3 proof-of-concept studies to evaluate
carisbamate's efficacy and safety in treating
neuropathic pain are presented. In studies 1 (
postherpetic neuralgia, n = 91) and 2 (
diabetic neuropathy, n = 137), patients received
carisbamate 400 mg/day or placebo for 4 weeks and then crossed over to the other treatment for 4 weeks. In study 3 (
diabetic neuropathy, higher
carisbamate doses), patients (n = 386) were randomized (1:1:1:1) to receive either
carisbamate 800 mg/day, 1200 mg/day,
pregabalin 300 mg/day or placebo for 15 weeks. Primary efficacy end point was the mean of the last 7 average daily
pain scores obtained on days the study
drug was taken, for all 3 studies. Least square mean (95% CI) differences between
carisbamate and placebo groups on the primary end point were as follows: study 1: -0.512 (-1.32, 0.29)
carisbamate 400 mg/day; study 2: -0.307 (-0.94, 0.33)
carisbamate 400 mg/day; and study 3: -0.51 (-1.10, 0.08),
carisbamate 800 mg/day; -0.55 (-1.13, 0.04),
carisbamate 1200 mg/day; and -0.43 (-1.01, 0.15),
pregabalin 300 mg/day. Neither
carisbamate (all 3 studies) nor
pregabalin (study 3) significantly differed from placebo, although multiple secondary end points showed significant improvement in efficacy with
carisbamate in studies 1 and 2.
Dizziness was the only treatment-emergent adverse event occurring at ≥10% difference in
carisbamate groups versus placebo (study 1: 12% vs. 1%; study 3: 14% vs. 4%; study 2: 1% vs. 2%).
Carisbamate, although well tolerated, did not demonstrate efficacy in
neuropathic pain across these studies, nor did the active comparator
pregabalin (study 3).