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| |  First Epilepsy Monotherapy In 10 Years Approved In Canada TORONTO, June 27, 1997 -- After more than 10 years, the first in the new class of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) has just received approval by Health Canada for monotherapy. Lamictal(R) (lamotrigine) monotherapy was introduced this week during a symposium at the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences (CCNS) being held in Saskatoon from June 23 to 28. "Lamictal monotherapy means patients need only take one pill to control their seizures with the added benefit of better quality of life, minimal side effects and minimal psychosocial impact,'' said Dr. Alan Guberman, Professor of Medicine (Neurology), University of Ottawa. "The older monotherapy drugs may achieve seizure control for some people, but are often associated with troublesome side-effects such as sluggishness and other central nervous system side-effects such as dizziness. People with epilepsy want both seizure control and a normal life. Lamictal monotherapy may offer just that.'' "Lamictal monotherapy offers control over a wide range of seizure types, and it can be used for patients with mixed seizure types and where the type of seizure has not yet been confirmed," said Dr. Michael W. Jones, Medical Director, Vancouver Neurological Centre. "Lamictal is also significantly better tolerated and has a more favourable side-effect profile than most other AEDs. This is important because, from the patients' perspective, how well they function and how they feel as a result of epilepsy treatment determines their quality of life." "Patients with epilepsy were traditionally required to take a number of drugs to try to control their seizures," said Larry Gontovnick, Director of Clinical Research, Glaxo Wellcome. "With the approval of Lamictal as withdrawal from polytherapy to monotherapy, we are pleased to be able to offer people greater independence and a sense of well-being, using less medication, to live life to its fullest capacity." Lamictal has been available in Canada since 1995 as adjunctive therapy for patients with epilepsy. Its side-effects are mild and include headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurred or double vision, however, these are usually present only during the first two weeks of therapy. Skin rashes may also develop within the first six weeks of therapy, but this risk does not exceed that of other commonly used AEDs and can be reduced by gradually withdrawing the patient from other AEDs and slowly increasing the dose of Lamictal when introducing treatment. Epilepsy has been called "the invisible handicap". Epilepsy is a symptom of a neurological disorder, which causes a malfunction of the electrical signals that control the operation of the brain. In epilepsy, the psychosocial consequences often overshadow the direct physical disability. The disorder is characterized by sudden, brief seizures, which vary from person to person. Seizures can appear as a brief stare, an unusual movement of the body, a change of awareness or a convulsion. They can last a few seconds or a few minutes. It is estimated that epilepsy affects more than 300,000 Canadians. However, due to the stigma still associated with the disorder, the number may actually be greater. Treatments are available to reduce the frequency and severity of seizures, but there is no known cure for epilepsy. More than 70 per cent of people with epilepsy are able to control their seizures using medication. When medication does not help, brain surgery is an alternative in extreme or severe cases. Glaxo Wellcome Inc. is a subsidiary of Glaxo Wellcome plc, one of the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical companies. Glaxo Wellcome is a leader in the medical fields of neurology, asthma, migraine, gastrointestinal, oncology, and viral and bacterial infection. More information on: Glaxo Wellcome, Lamictal
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