● SK chemicals releases “Qudexy,” extended-release epilepsy medication with enhanced convenience
- Various formulations and improved dose enhanced convenience for epilepsy patients
On the 16th, SK chemicals announced the release of “Qudexy ER Capsule”, Korea’s first extended-release Topiramate for epilepsy treatment.
As a treatment seizure due to epilepsy, Qudexy Extended-Release Capsule is formulated to be released within a body slowly over a period of time. Compared with the immediate-release counterpart, which is taken twice a day, patients can take one capsule a day to achieve the same efficacy.
Qudexy was developed in 2014 by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, a US-based pharmaceutical company, and approved by FDA.
On the 3rd and 4th, Professor Steve S. Chung of University of Arizona Phoenix and Professor Robert E. Hogan of Washington University in St. Louis presented the results of the Phase-III clinical trial on the efficacy of the drug at the “SK chemicals Epilepsy Symposium” chaired by Professor Byungin Lee of Inje University College of Medicine.
Professor Seungbong Hong of Samsung Medical Center said, “the launch of Qudexy ER capsule will allow epilepsy patients to take medication once a day, and this will help improve satisfaction and medication compliance among patients.”
Gwanghyun Jeon of SK chemicals Life Science Biz added that Qudexy will “improve quality of life of the patients by reducing the number of times they take epilepsy medication” and that “SK chemicals will continue to introduce and develop various treatments to broaden the range of treatment options for patients.”
SK chemicals’ Qudexy Extended-Release Capsule is indicated as monotherapy to treat partial seizures in children 6 years of age and older and in adults. It can also be used as an adjunctive therapy for partial seizures in children and adults 2 years of age and older, primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and Lennox?Gastaut syndrome, all of which cannot be controlled by the existing epilepsy medications.
SK chemicals added the 200mg capsule in addition to 25mg, 50mg and 100mg to provide patients with more options.
According to UBIST, a pharmaceutical market research firm, the market size of Korean epilepsy medicine last year was about 110 billon KRW/year, with Topiramate accounting for about 22 billion KRW.
※ Glossary
? Primary generalized tonic-clonic seizure: Generalized tonic-clonic seizures start in both sides of the brain, causing loss of consciousness and motor symptoms on both sides.
Picture : Professor Robert E. Hogan of Washington University in St. Louis presenting the clinical trial results at LG Chemicals Epilepsy Symposium, held in Jeju on the 3rd and 4th.