Rufinamide

Rufinamide is a triazole derivative structurally unrelated to currently marketed antiepileptic drugs. Rufinamide was profiled for anticonvulsant activity at the National Institutes of Health and showed broad-spectrum anticonvulsant properties at nontoxic doses in animal models. The principal mechanism of action of rufinamide is considered to be the modulation of the activity of sodium channels and, in particular, prolongation of the inactive state of the channel. Rufinamide provides an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment option for use as adjunctive therapy in patients with partial seizures and with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome ( LGS). In LGS, rufinamide is effective in controlling multiple seizure types and in reducing the severity of the seizures. The most commonly observed ( >= 10%) adverse experiences seen in association with rufinamide are headache, dizziness, fatigue, somnolence and nausea. Rufinamide is generally well tolerated, and its safety profile is well-established.