In the International epilepsy daywhich is celebrated on February 13, promoted in our country by the Italian League against epilepsy (Lice), Ucb Pharma confirms its commitmentfor over 30 years in the research and development of drugs to contribute to and transform the panorama of available treatments, impacting in an increasingly profound and radical way – reads a company note – on the causes that determine this neurological pathology.
“This ‘Day’ is designed to celebrate people who live with this pathology, their families and their caregivers, to reaffirm that today it is possible to guarantee them a better quality of life – he explains Laura Tassi, president of Lice -. However, it is important to always keep your attention high and continue to fight. Living with epilepsy means dealing with a chronic disease, which has a very strong impact and involves all dimensions of daily life, from health to relationships with people, from school to the world of work”. Epilepsy is one of the pathologies neurological disorders.It affects about 50-70 million people worldwide, of which 500,000 in Italy alone.In the last 20 years, the number of available drugs has increased significantly, but there is still a lot to do, considering that about 30% of people suffer from drug-resistant forms of the disease.
UCB Pharma, which in 2022 invested around 28% of its turnover in Research and Development – explains the note – regularly collects and publishes new data from studies dedicated to its portfolio of treatments: brivaracetam, lacosamide, levetiracetam and midazolam nasal spray (for the moment approved by the American Drug Agency, FDA). This is evidence that comes from clinical trials or real life studies, which provide insights into the efficacy and safety profile of the various molecules even for rarer and more difficult to treat forms of epilepsy, or in specific groups of patients, particularly fragile , such as the elderly or those who have had a stroke.
In this regard, last October, fenfluramine obtained reimbursement in Italy for epileptic seizures associated with Dravet syndrome. The approval of the indication for this drug in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome has arrived in the EU these days. Ucb also has solutions for the rare form of CDKL5 epilepsy and for the management of prolonged seizures in its pipeline. On specific more vulnerable populations – such as the over 65s, generally underrepresented – a sub-analysis of the ‘Brivafirst’ study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of the drug brivaracetam in real world compared to those of a younger age. Another sub-analysis of the same study confirms the efficacy also in add-on therapy in patients who developed epilepsy following a stroke.
In its commitment to promote the well-being of people with epilepsy in the broadest sense – recalls the note – UCB has made a collaboration with PharmaPrime, a leading company in the design and management of Patient Support Programs that make use of the proprietary pharmaceutical delivery platform. Hence the SiCura Project* which allows, through a dedicated toll-free number, to take advantage of a free service to receive information on the nearest pharmacy where to find the medicine they need. “We are proud to be alongside Lice and Ucb Pharma on this Day which focuses on people with epilepsy and their health needs”, comments Luca Buscioni, CEO of PharmaPrime. With the SiCura* project, we renew our commitment to the community of people with epilepsy every day, so that they can have access to the therapy they need, essential for the control of the disease and for a good quality of life”.
In 2022 – adds the company – UCB started the construction, in Belgium, of a innovative center for the experimentation of gene therapies and became the majority shareholder of Nile, an independent e-health company founded with the aim of facilitating the journey of people with epilepsy. The Nile digital platform consists of an App that allows you to be constantly connected with your care team. In the last 2 years, the pharmaceutical completed the acquisitions of, among others, Engage Therapeutics and Handl Therapeutics. “Ucb has developed significant experience in epilepsy over the years and is constantly listening to the problems and unresolved needs of people living with this pathology – says Federico Chinni, CEO of Ucb Italia -. We are very proud to be able to contribute to the continuous improvement of quality life of people with epilepsy and we are convinced that it is necessary to continue along this path of innovation on various fronts: scientific, organisational, therapeutic and technological, in order to increasingly improve treatment standards.In the coming years – he concludes – important challenges await us, starting from research in the field of advanced gene therapies and the study of rare syndromes and fragile patient populations, to respond in an increasingly targeted way to the needs of people with epilepsy”.
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