Rufinamide

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome

Treatment

2 FDA approvals

2 Active Studies for Rufinamide

What is Rufinamide

Rufinamide

The Generic name of this drug

Treatment Summary

Rufinamide is a medication used to treat seizures in people with Lennox-Gastuat syndrome, a rare form of childhood epilepsy. It has been tested in clinical trials and found to be effective in treating partial seizures.

Banzel

is the brand name

image of different drug pills on a surface

Rufinamide Overview & Background

Brand Name

Generic Name

First FDA Approval

How many FDA approvals?

Banzel

Rufinamide

2008

21

Approved as Treatment by the FDA

Rufinamide, also known as Banzel, is approved by the FDA for 2 uses such as Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and Lennox Gastaut Syndrome .

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS)

Used in combination with other therapies

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome

Used in combination with other therapies

Effectiveness

How Rufinamide Affects Patients

At high doses, this drug will stop the mGluR5 subtype receptor from working and block the formation of glutamate.

How Rufinamide works in the body

Rufinamide is an anti-epileptic drug that works by making nerve cells less responsive to electrical signals. This helps to stop the spread of seizures in the brain.

When to interrupt dosage

The suggested quantity of Rufinamide is contingent upon the diagnosed circumstance. The dosage is subject to the mode of delivery outlined in the table below.

Condition

Dosage

Administration

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome

, 200.0 mg, 400.0 mg, 40.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg

, Oral, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Suspension, Tablet, film coated, Suspension - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral

Warnings

Rufinamide Contraindications

Condition

Risk Level

Notes

familial short QT syndrome

Do Not Combine

There are 20 known major drug interactions with Rufinamide.

Common Rufinamide Drug Interactions

Drug Name

Risk Level

Description

Abemaciclib

Major

The metabolism of Abemaciclib can be increased when combined with Rufinamide.

Acalabrutinib

Major

The metabolism of Acalabrutinib can be increased when combined with Rufinamide.

Alectinib

Major

The metabolism of Alectinib can be increased when combined with Rufinamide.

Alpelisib

Major

The metabolism of Alpelisib can be increased when combined with Rufinamide.

Aminophylline

Major

The metabolism of Aminophylline can be increased when combined with Rufinamide.

Rufinamide Toxicity & Overdose Risk

The most common side effects experienced when taking this drug (occurring in more than 10% of patients and more often than with a placebo) include headache, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, and nausea.

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Rufinamide Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Rufinamide?

4 active clinical trials are in progress to assess the potential of Rufinamide as a therapeutic intervention for Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS).

Condition

Clinical Trials

Trial Phases

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome

2 Actively Recruiting

Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 4

Rufinamide Reviews: What are patients saying about Rufinamide?

3.3

Patient Review

3/22/2009

Rufinamide for Petit Mal Epilepsy with Multiple Seizure Types

I didn't love the side effects of this treatment, but it did moderately help with my condition.
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Patient Q&A Section about rufinamide

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is rufinamide the same as BANZEL?

"BANZEL is a prescription medication that is approved for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome for pediatric patients aged one year and above, as well as adults."

Answered by AI

What is the brand name for rufinamide?

"BANZEL is a prescription medicine that is used with other medications to treat seizures in adults and pediatric patients that are one year of age or older that are associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome."

Answered by AI

What is the mechanism of action for rufinamide?

"The way that rufinamide prevents seizures is not fully understood. However, studies done in test tubes suggest that it works by affecting sodium channels, particularly by lengthening the time they stay in an inactive state."

Answered by AI

What is rufinamide used for?

"Rufinamide is a medication used to control seizures, in combination with other medication(s), in people who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy that begins during childhood and causes several types of seizures, behavioral disturbances, and developmental delays. Rufinamide is classified as an anticonvulsant."

Answered by AI

Clinical Trials for Rufinamide

Image of The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

Epidiolex for Epilepsy

2 - 18
All Sexes
Toronto, Canada

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn the best way to switch children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) or Dravet Syndrome (DS) taking 'artisanal' (non pharmaceutical-grade) cannabidiol (CBD) to Epidiolex for treatment of seizures. The main questions it aims to answer are: * How well does a gradual switch from 'artisanal' CBD to Epidiolex work? * Does the same dose of Epidiolex as 'artisanal' CBD work best? * What side-effects or medical problems do participants have when switching from 'artisanal' CBD to Epidiolex? Researchers will examine how successful switching from 'artisanal' CBD to Epidiolex is. Participants will: * Gradually increase their dose of Epidiolex and reduce their dose of 'artisanal' CBD until they are taking just Epidiolex * Visit the clinic five times over 20 weeks for checkups and tests * Keep a diary of their seizures, symptoms and the number of times they use a rescue seizure medication

Phase 4
Waitlist Available

The Hospital for Sick Children

Elizabeth Donner, MD

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Image of Boston Childrens' Hospital in Boston, United States.

Transdermal CBD for Epilepsy

2 - 55
All Sexes
Boston, MA

This study is a preliminary open-label, single-arm Phase II investigation into the safety and efficacy of transdermal cannabidiol (CBD) delivered using GT4 skin bream technology in individuals diagnosed with Dravet and/or Lennox-Gastatu syndrome (DS and/or LGS). We aim to enroll 25 participants between the ages of 2 and 55 diagnosed with DS and/or LGS. Transdermal delivery of cannabinoids may provide advantages over other traditional routes of administration. Noted advantages include avoidance of first pass metabolism which mitigates potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions due to delayed cannabinoid accumulation, and more stable and constant plasma cannabinoid concentrations. GT4 technology, uses emulsion technology containing penetrating agents, basement membrane disruptors, and vasodilators to overcome hydrophilic and lipophilic structures to open channels and transport cannabinoids deep into the dermis layer of the skin. Once in the dermis, vasodilators dilate the capillary bed to increase fluid dynamic flow into and out of the application site, delivering cannabinoids into the blood stream. The primary objective is to investigate the safety and efficacy of CBD delivery with the A-Synaptic GT4 Transdermal Delivery System in individuals diagnosed with DS and/orLGS. Dr. Rotenberg will apply for and hold the expanded access IND for this study, as the sponsor is running this study as an investigator-initiated study. The study consists of 11 visits over \~160 days, dosing begins at Visit #2.

Phase 1 & 2
Waitlist Available

Boston Childrens' Hospital

Alexander Rotenberg, MD, PhD