\ ALS Research \ Phase 3 talampanel trial begins
Talampanel is a member of the benzodiazepine family, which consists of anti-anxiety and muscle relaxing agents that work in the brain and spinal cord. It is a selective AMPA receptor antagonist that prevents glutamate excitotoxicity, a trigger for motor neuron death. In the trial it will be administered orally in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to test its efficacy, tolerability and safety.
“The current Phase 3 trial should be completed in the next few months,” says Hannah Briemberg, MD, medical director of the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. “This is a large enough trial that it should give us a definitive answer as to whether or not talampanel is effective in slowing ALS progression, and if so, what the magnitude of this effect is.”
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Phase 3 talampanel trial begins
Talampanel, a drug currently not approved in Canada or the United States, is undergoing an international Phase 3 trial involving 500 patients with ALS in centres across Europe, Canada and the US. In a Phase 2 study talampanel was shown to be safe, and the data suggested it may help slow progression of ALS. It is hoped that the promising results of the Phase 2 trial continue and talampanel will become an effective treatment for ALS.Talampanel is a member of the benzodiazepine family, which consists of anti-anxiety and muscle relaxing agents that work in the brain and spinal cord. It is a selective AMPA receptor antagonist that prevents glutamate excitotoxicity, a trigger for motor neuron death. In the trial it will be administered orally in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to test its efficacy, tolerability and safety.
“The current Phase 3 trial should be completed in the next few months,” says Hannah Briemberg, MD, medical director of the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. “This is a large enough trial that it should give us a definitive answer as to whether or not talampanel is effective in slowing ALS progression, and if so, what the magnitude of this effect is.”
| Posted On: Thursday, January 14, 2010 Modified: Thursday, January 14, 2010 Category: ALS Research Posted By: |