Valeant selects candidates for epilepsy drug programme

Valeant Pharmaceuticals has chosen a number of pre-investigational new drug candidates for use in its next-generational potassium-channel opener programme as part of its ongoing efforts to develop innovative anti-epileptic therapies.

The newly-selected compounds are similar in their molecular structure to retigabine, a neuronal potassium-channel opener currently undergoing phase III clinical trials at Valeant for the treatment of refractory epilepsy patients suffering partial-onset seizures.

However, the firm claims that these newly-chosen compounds have exhibited enhanced potency and efficacy in inhibiting seizure activity and opening the potassium-channel in pre-clinical trials, with ten to 50 times the strength of retigabine in this regard when tested in animal models.

Valeant also notes that potassium-channel openers have also shown potential to treat other neurological conditions in addition to epilepsy, including neuropathic pain.

Wesley P Wheeler, president of research and development and North America, said: “We are enthusiastic about the progress we are making to advance these promising next-generation potassium-channel openers.”

He added that the firm is now able to combine its experience with retigabine and other drugs for neurological conditions with its broadened understanding of neuronal potassium-channel openers in order to better develop this type of drug to benefit patients.

In May 2007, Valeant appointed Paraxel International to aid the company in its applications with regulatory bodies for the approval of retigabine.