Perampanel (Fycompa®), an orally-active, selective, noncompetitive α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic
acid (
AMPA) receptor antagonist, is a first-in-class
antiepileptic drug (AED) offering the convenience of once-daily administration. In the EU and US,
perampanel is approved in patients with
epilepsy aged ≥12 years for the adjunctive treatment of primary
generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) and partial-onset
seizures (POS; with or without secondary generalization). In phase III trials of 17 or 19 weeks' duration, add-on
perampanel ≤12 mg/day significantly improved seizure control in patients aged ≥12 years who were experiencing either primary GTCS or POS (with or without secondary generalization), despite ongoing treatment with stable dosages of one to three AEDs. Improvements in seizure control were maintained for up to 2 years in extensions of these core studies.
Perampanel also provided sustained seizure control for up to ≈4 years in an extension of two phase II studies in patients aged ≥18 years with
drug-resistant POS. Adjunctive
perampanel therapy was generally well tolerated. Treatment-emergent adverse events were most commonly CNS-related (e.g.
dizziness,
somnolence,
fatigue and irritability) and dose-related; however, most were of mild to moderate intensity. Clinical experience with
perampanel is accumulating, although comparative studies and pharmacoeconomic data that could assist in positioning it relative to other AEDS that are approved and/or recommended as adjunctive
therapy are lacking. Nonetheless, on the basis of its overall clinical profile and unique mechanism of action,
perampanel is a useful additional adjunctive treatment option for patients with
drug-resistant POS, with or without secondary generalization, and primary GTCS.