Felbamate

Felbatol ® is not indicated as a first line antiepileptic treatment. Felbatol ® is recommended for use only in those patients who respond inadequately to alternative treatments and whose epilepsy is so severe that a substantial risk of aplastic anemia and/or liver failure is deemed acceptable in light of the benefits conferred by its use. If these criteria are met and the patient has been fully advised of the risk and has provided written acknowledgment, Felbatol ® can be considered for either monotherapy or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial seizures, with and without generalization, in adults with epilepsy and as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial and generalized seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children.

The mechanism by which felbamate exerts its anticonvulsant activity is unknown, but in animal test systems designed to detect anticonvulsant activity, felbamate has properties in common with other marketed anticonvulsants. Felbamate is effective in mice and rats in the maximal electroshock test, the subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol seizure test, and the subcutaneous picrotoxin seizure test. Felbamate also exhibits anticonvulsant activity against seizures induced by intracerebroventricular administration of glutamate in rats and N-methyl-D,L-aspartic acid in mice. Protection against maximal electroshock-induced seizures suggests that felbamate may reduce seizure spread, an effect possibly predictive of efficacy in generalized tonic-clonic or partial seizures.

Felbatol ® (felbamate) has been studied as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in adults and as adjunctive therapy in children with seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. As Felbatol ® is added to or substituted for existing AEDs, it is strongly recommended to reduce the dosage of those AEDs in the range of 20–33% to minimize side effects. Dosage Adjustment in the Renally Impaired Felbamate should be used with caution in patients with renal dysfunction. In the renally impaired, starting and maintenance doses should be reduced by one-half. Adjunctive therapy with medications which affect felbamate plasma concentrations, especially AEDs, may warrant further reductions in felbamate daily doses in patients with renal dysfunction.

Felbatol ® is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to Felbatol ®, its ingredients, or known sensitivity to other carbamates. It should not be used in patients with a history of any blood dyscrasia or hepatic dysfunction.

Boxed warning (1. aplastic anemia the use of felbatol ®): (felbamate) IS ASSOCIATED WITH A MARKED INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF APLASTIC ANEMIA. ACCORDINGLY, FELBATOL ® SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN PATIENTS WHOSE EPILEPSY IS SO SEVERE THAT THE RISK OF APLASTIC ANEMIA IS DEEMED ACCEPTABLE IN LIGHT OF THE BENEFITS CONFERRED BY ITS USE. See Boxed Warning regarding aplastic anemia and hepatic failure. Antiepileptic drugs should not be suddenly discontinued because of the possibility of increasing seizure frequency. Suicidal Behavior and Ideation Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) including Felbatol ®, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.

The most common adverse reactions seen in association with Felbatol ® (felbamate) in adults during monotherapy are anorexia, vomiting, insomnia, nausea, and headache. The most common adverse reactions seen in association with Felbatol ® in adults during adjunctive therapy are anorexia, vomiting, insomnia, nausea, dizziness, somnolence, and headache. The most common adverse reactions seen in association with Felbatol ® in children during adjunctive therapy are anorexia, vomiting, insomnia, headache, and somnolence. The dropout rate because of adverse experiences or intercurrent illnesses among adult felbamate patients was 12 percent (120/977). The dropout rate because of adverse experiences or intercurrent illnesses among pediatric felbamate patients was six percent (22/357).

The drug interaction data described in this section were obtained from controlled clinical trials and studies involving otherwise healthy adults with epilepsy. Use in Conjunction with Other Antiepileptic Drugs The addition of Felbatol ® to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) affects the steady-state plasma concentrations of AEDs. The net effect of these interactions is summarized in Table 2: Table 2 Steady-State Plasma Concentrations of Felbatol When Coadministered With Other AEDs AED Coadministered AED Concentration Felbatol ® Concentration Phenytoin ↑ ↓ Valproate ↑ ↔ No significant effect. Carbamazepine (CBZ) Not administered, but an active metabolite of carbamazepine. CBZ epoxide ↓ ↑ ↓ Phenobarbital ↑ ↓ Specific Effects of Felbatol® on Other Antiepileptic Drugs Phenytoin Felbatol ® causes an increase in steady-state phenytoin plasma concentrations.

Store at controlled room temperature 20°–25°C (68°–77°F).