Zevetra

 

 

For the use of Registered Medical Practitioner or a Hospital or Laboratory

Levetiracetam Tablets 250 mg

 

ZEVETRA 250

Composition

Each film-coated tablet contains:

Levetiracetam ………….. 250 mg

 

1. DESCRIPTION

ZEVETRA is an antiepileptic drug available as Levetiracetam Tablets 250 mg for oral administration.

Levetiracetam is a white to off-white crystalline powder with a faint odor and a bitter taste. It is very soluble in water (104.0 g/100 mL). It is freely soluble in chloroform (65.3 g/100 mL) and in methanol (53.6 g/100 mL), soluble in ethanol (16.5 g/100 mL), sparingly soluble in acetonitrile (5.7 g/100 mL) and practically insoluble in n-hexane. (Solubility limits are expressed as g/100 mL solvent.)

The chemical name of levetiracetam, a single enantiomer, is (-)-(S)-a-ethyl-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide, its molecular formula is C₂H₁₄N₂O₂ and its molecular weight is 170.21. Levetiracetam is chemically unrelated to existing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). It has the following structural formula:

 

 

2. CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

2.1 Mechanism of Action

The precise mechanism (s) by which levetiracetam exerts its antiepileptic effect is unknown. The antiepileptic activity of levetiracetam was assessed in a number of animal models of epileptic seizures. Levetiracetam did not inhibit single seizures induced by maximal stimulation with electrical current or different chemoconvulsants and showed only minimal activity in submaximal stimulation and in threshold tests. Protection was observed, however, against secondarily generalized activity from focal seizures induced by pilocarpine and kainic acid, two chemoconvulsants that induce seizures that mimic some features of human complex partial seizures with secondary generalization.

Levetiracetam also displayed inhibitory properties in the kindling model in rats, another model of human complex partial seizures, both during kindling development and in the fully kindled state. The predictive value of these animal models for specific types of human epilepsy is uncertain.

In vitro and in vivo recordings of epileptiform activity from the hippocampus have shown that levetiracetam inhibits burst firing without affecting normal neuronal excitability, suggesting that levetiracetam may selectively prevent hypersynchronization of epileptiform burst firing and propagation of seizure activity.

Levetiracetam at concentrations of up to 10 µM did not demonstrate binding affinity for a variety of known receptors, such as those associated with benzodiazepines, GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid), glycine, NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate), re-uptake sites, and second messenger systems. Furthermore, in vitro studies have failed to find an effect of levetiracetam on neuronal voltage-gated sodium or T-type calcium currents and levetiracetam does not appear to directly facilitate GABAergic neurotransmission. However, in vitro studies have demonstrated that levetiracetam opposes the activity of negative modulators of GABA- and glycine-gated currents and partially inhibits N-type calcium currents in neuronal cells.

A saturable and stereoselective neuronal binding site in rat brain tissue has been described for levetiracetam. Experimental data indicate that this binding site is the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, thought to be involved in the regulation of vesicle exocytosis. Although the molecular significance of levetiracetam binding to synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is not understood, levetiracetam and related analogs showed a rank order of affinity for SV2A which correlated with the potency of their antiseizure activity in audiogenic seizure-prone mice. These findings suggest that the interaction of levetiracetam with the SV2A protein may contribute to the antiepileptic mechanism of action of the drug.

 

2.2 Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam have been studied in healthy adult subjects, adults and pediatric patients with epilepsy, elderly subjects and subjects with renal and hepatic impairment.

 

Overview

Levetiracetam is rapidly and almost completely absorbed after oral administration. The pharmacokinetics are linear and time-invariant, with low intra- and inter-subject variability. The extent of bioavailability of levetiracetam is not affected by food.

Levetiracetam is not significantly protein-bound (<10% bound) and its volume of distribution is close to the volume of intracellular and extracellular water. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the dose is renally excreted unchanged. The major metabolic pathway of levetiracetam (24% of dose) is an enzymatic hydrolysis of the acetamide group. It is not liver cytochrome P450 dependent. The metabolites have no known pharmacological activity and are renally excreted. Plasma half-life of levetiracetam across studies is approximately 6-8 hours. It is increased in the elderly (primarily due to impaired renal clearance) and in subjects with renal impairment.

 

Absorption and Distribution

Absorption of levetiracetam is rapid, with peak plasma concentrations occurring in about an hour following oral administration in fasted subjects. The oral bioavailability of levetiracetam tablets is 100%. Food does not affect the extent of absorption of levetiracetam but it decreases Cax by 20% and delays Tmax by 1.5 hours. The pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam are linear over the dose range of 500-5000 mg. Steady state is achieved after 2 days of multiple twice-daily dosing. Levetiracetam and its major metabolite are less than 10% bound to plasma proteins; clinically significant interactions with other drugs through competition for protein binding sites are therefore unlikely.

 

Metabolism

Levetiracetam is not extensively metabolized in humans. The major metabolic pathway is the enzymatic hydrolysis of the acetamide group, which produces the carboxylic acid metabolite, ucb L057 (24% of dose) and is not dependent on any liver cytochrome P450 isoenzymes. The major metabolite is inactive in animal seizure models. Two minor metabolites were identified as the product of hydroxylation of the 2-oxo-pyrrolicine ring (2% of dose) and opening of the 2 oxo-pyrrolidine ring in position 5 (1% of dose). There is no enantiomeric interconversion of levetiracetam or its major metabolite.

 

Elimination

Levetiracetam plasma half-life in adults is 7±1 hour and is unaffected by either dose or repeated administration. Levetiracetam is eliminated from the systemic circulation by renal excretion as unchanged drug which represents 66% of administered dose. The total body clearance is 0.96 mL/min/kg and the renal clearance is 0.6 mL/min/kg. The mechanism of excretion is glomerular filtration with subsequent partial tubular reabsorption. The metabolite ucb L057 is excreted by glomerular filtration and active tubular secretion with a renal clearance of 4 ml/min/kg. Levetiracetam elimination is correlated to creatinine clearance. Levetiracetam clearance is reduced in patients with impaired renal function.

 

Pharmacokinetic Interactions

In vitro data on metabolic interactions indicate that levetiracetam is unlikely to produce, or be subject to, pharmacokinetic interactions. Levetiracetam and its major metabolite, at concentrations well above C levels achieved within the therapeutic dose range, are neither inhibitors of, nor high affinity substrates for, human liver cytochrome P450 isoforms, epoxide hydrolase or UDP-glucuronidation enzymes. In addition, levetiracetam does not affect the in vitro glucuronidation of valproic acid.

Potential pharmacokinetic interactions of or with levetiracetam were assessed in clinical pharmacokinetic studies (phenytoin, valproate, warfarin, digoxin, oral contraceptive, probenecid) and through pharmacokinetic screening in the placebo-controlled clinical studies in epilepsy patients.

 

Special Populations

Elderly

Pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam were evaluated in 16 elderly subjects (age 61-88 years) with creatinine clearance ranging from 30 to 74 mL/min. Following oral administration of twice-daily dosing for 10 days, total body clearance decreased by 38% and the half-life was 2.5 hours longer in the elderly compared to healthy adults. This is most likely due to the decrease in renal function in these subjects.

 

Pediatric Patients

Pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam were evaluated in 24 pediatric patients (age 6-12 years) after single dose (20 mg/kg). The body weight adjusted apparent clearance of levetiracetam was approximately 40% higher than in adults.

A repeat dose pharmacokinetic study was conducted in pediatric patients (age 4-12 years) at doses of 20 mg/kg/day, 40 mg/kg/day, and 60 mg/kg/day. The evaluation of the pharmacokinetic profile of levetiracetam and its metabolite (ucb L057) in 14 pediatric patients demonstrated rapid absorption of levetiracetam at all doses with a T of about 1 hour and a ty of 5 hours across three dosing levels. The pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam in children was linear between 20 to 60 mg/kg/day. The potential interaction of levetiracetam with other AEDs was also evaluated in these patients. Levetiracetam had no significant effect on the plasma concentrations of carbamazepine, valproic acid, topiramate or lamotrigine. However, there was about 22% increase of apparent clearance of levetiracetam when it was co administered with an enzyme-inducing AED (e.g. carbamazepine). Population pharmacokinetic, analysis showed that body weight was significantly correlated to clearance of levetiracetam in pediatric patients; clearance increased with an increase in body weight.

 

Gender

Levetiracetam C and AUC were 20% higher in women (N=11) compared to men (N=12). However, clearances adjusted for body weight were comparable.

 

Race

Formal pharmacokinetic studies of the effects of race have not been conducted. Cross study comparisons involving Caucasians (N=12) and Asians (N=12), however, show that pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam were comparable between the two races. Because levetiracetam is primarily renally excreted and there are no important racial differences in creatinine clearance, pharmacokinetic differences due to race are not expected.

 

Renal Impairment

The disposition of levetiracetam was studied in adult subjects with varying degrees of renal function. Total body clearance of levetiracetam is reduced in patients with impaired renal function by 40% in the mild group (CL 50-80 mL/min), 50% in the moderate group (CL, 30-50 mL/min) and 60% in the severe renal impairment group (CL <30 mL/min). Clearance of levetiracetam is correlated with creatinine clearance. In anuric (end stage renal disease) patients, the total body clearance decreased 70% compared to normal subjects (CL >80mL/min). Approximately 50% of the pool of levetiracetam in the body is removed during a standard 4-hour hemodialysis procedure. Dosage should be reduced in patients with impaired renal function receiving levetiracetam, and supplemental doses should be given to patients after dialysis.

 

Hepatic Impairment

In subjects with mild (Child-Pugh A) to moderate (Child-Pugh B) hepatic impairment, the pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam were unchanged. In patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C), total body clearance was 50% that of normal subjects, but decreased renal clearance accounted for most of the decrease. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with hepatic impairment.

 

3. INDICATIONS AND USAGE

ZEVETRA is indicated as monotherapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation in adults and adolescents from 16 years of age with newly diagnosed epilepsy.

ZEVETRA is indicated as adjunctive therapy:

• in the treatment of partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation in adults, adolescents, children and infants from 1 month of age with epilepsy.
• in the treatment of myoclonic seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy.
• in the treatment of primary generalised tonic-clonic seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with Idiopathic Generalised Epilepsy.

 

4. CONTRAINDICATIONS

This product should not be administered to patients who have previously exhibited hypersensitivity to levetiracetam or any of the inactive ingredients in ZEVETRA tablets.

 

5. POSOLOGY AND METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION

POSOLOGY

Partial onset seizures

The recommended dosing for monotherapy (from 16 years of age) and adjunctive therapy is the same; as outlined below.

 

All indications

Adults (≥ 18 years) and adolescents (12 to 17 years) weighing 50 kg or more

The initial therapeutic dose is 500 mg twice daily. This dose can be started on the first day of treatment. However, a lower initial dose of 250 mg twice daily may be given based on physician assessment of seizure reduction versus potential side effects. This can be increased to 500 mg twice daily after two weeks.

Depending upon the clinical response and tolerability, the daily dose can be increased up to 1,500 mg twice daily. Dose changes can be made in 250 mg or 500 mg twice daily increases or decreases every two to four weeks.

Adolescents (12 to 17 years) weighing below 50 kg and children from 1 month of age

The physician should prescribe the most appropriate pharmaceutical form, presentation and strength according to weight, age and dose.

 

Discontinuation

If levetiracetam has to be discontinued it is recommended to withdraw it gradually (e.g. in adults and adolescents weighing more than 50 kg: 500 mg decreases twice daily every two to four weeks; in infants older than 6 months, children and adolescents weighing less than 50 kg: dose decrease should not exceed 10 mg/kg twice daily every two weeks; in infants (less than 6 months): dose decrease should not exceed 7 mg/kg twice daily every two weeks).

 

Special populations

Elderly (65 years and older)

Adjustment of the dose is recommended in elderly patients with compromised renal function (see “Renal impairment” below).

 

Renal impairment

The daily dose must be individualised according to renal function. For adult patients, refer to the following table and adjust the dose as indicated. To use this dosing table, an estimate of the patient’s creatinine clearance (CL) in ml/min is needed. The CL, in ml/min may be estimated from serum creatinine (mg/dl) determination, for adults and adolescents weighing 50 kg or more, the following formula:

 

 

Then CL, is adjusted for body surface area (BSA) as follows:

 

 

Dosing adjustment for adult and adolescent patients weighing more than 50 kg with impaired renal function:

 

 

⁽¹⁾ A 750 mg loading dose is recommended on the first day of treatment with levetiracetam.

⁽²⁾ Following dialysis, a 250 to 500 mg supplemental dose is recommended.

For children with renal impairment, levetiracetam dose needs to be adjusted based on the renal function as levetiracetam clearance is related to renal function. This recommendation is based on a study in adult renally impaired patients.

The   in ml/min/1.73 m² may be estimated from serum creatinine (mg/dl) determination, for young adolescents, children and infants, using the following formula (Schwartz formula):

 

 

ks= 0.45 in Term infants to 1 year old; ks = 0.55 in Children to less than 13 years and in adolescent female; ks= 0.7 in adolescent male

Dosing adjustment for infants, children and adolescent patients weighing less than 50 kg with impaired renal function:

 

 

⁽¹⁾ A 10.5 mg/kg (0.105 ml/kg) loading dose is recommended on the first day of treatment with levetiracetam.

⁽²⁾ A 15 mg/kg (0.15 ml/kg) loading dose is recommended on the first day of treatment with levetiracetam.

⁽³⁾ Following dialysis, a 3.5 to 7 mg/kg (0.035 to 0.07 ml/kg) supplemental dose is recommended.

⁽⁴⁾ Following dialysis, a 5 to 10 mg/kg (0.05 to 0.10 ml/kg) supplemental dose is recommended.

 

Hepatic impairment

No dose adjustment is needed in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment. In patients with severe hepatic impairment, the creatinine clearance may underestimate the renal insufficiency. Therefore a 50% reduction of the daily maintenance dose is recommended when the creatinine clearance is < 60 ml/min/1.73 m².

Monotherapy

The safety and efficacy of ZEVETRA in children and adolescents below 16 years as monotherapy treatment have not been established.

Adolescents (16 and 17 years of age) weighing 50 kg or more with partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation with newly diagnosed epilepsy.

Add-on therapy for infants aged 6 to 23 months, children (2 to 11 years) and adolescents (12 to 17 years) weighingless than 50 kg The lowest effective dose should be used for all indications. The starting dose for a child or adolescent of 25kg should be 250mg twice daily with a maximum dose of 750mg twice daily. Dose in children 50 kg or greater is the same as in adults for all indications.

Please refer to the above section on Adults (≥ 18 years) and adolescents (12 to 17 years) weighing 50 kg or more for all indications.

METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION

The film-coated tablets must be taken orally, swallowed with a sufficient quantity of liquid and may be taken with or without food. After oral administration the bitter taste of levetiracetam may be experienced. The daily dose is administered in two equally divided doses.

 

6. SPECIAL WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS FOR USE

Renal impairment

The administration of levetiracetam to patients with renal impairment may require dose adjustment. In patients with severely impaired hepatic function, assessment of renal function is recommended before dose selection.

Acute Kidney injury

The use of levetiracetam has been very rarely associated with acute kidney injury, with a time to onset ranging from a few days to several months.

Blood cell counts

Rare cases of decreased blood cell counts (neutropenia, agranulocytosis, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and pancytopenia) have been described in association with levetiracetam administration, generally at the beginning of the treatment. Complete blood cell counts are advised in patients experiencing important weakness, pyrexia, recurrent infections or coagulation disorders.

Suicide

Suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation and behaviour have been reported in patients treated with anti-epileptic agents including levetiracetam. A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of anti-epileptic medicinal products has shown a small increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The mechanism of this risk is not known.

Therefore, patients should be monitored for signs of depression and/or suicidal ideation and behaviours and appropriate treatment should be considered. Patients (and caregivers of patients) should be advised to seek medical advice on signs of depression and/or suicidal ideation or behaviour emerge.

Abnormal and aggressive behaviours

Levetiracetam may cause psychotic symptoms and behavioural abnormalities including irritability and aggressiveness. Patients treated with levetiracetam should be monitored for developing psychiatric signs suggesting important mood and/or personality changes. If such behaviours are noticed, treatment adaptation or gradual discontinuation should be considered.

Worsening of seizures

As with other types of antiepileptic drugs, levetiracetam may rarely exacerbate seizure frequency or severity. This paradoxical effect was mostly reported within the first month after levetiracetam initiation or increase of the dose, and was reversible upon drug discontinuation or dose decrease. Patients should be advised to consult their physician immediately in case of aggravation of epilepsy.

Lack of efficacy or seizure worsening has for example been reported in patients with epilepsy associated with sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 8 (SCN8A) mutations.

Electrocardiogram QT interval prolongation

Rare cases of ECG QT interval prolongation have been observed during the post-marketing surveillance. Levetiracetam should be used with caution in patients with QTc-interval prolongation, in patients concomitantly treated with drugs affecting the QTc-Interval, or in patients with relevant pre-existing cardiac disease or electrolyte disturbances.

Paediatric population

The tablet formulation is not adapted for use in infants and children under the age of 6 years.

Available data in children did not suggest impact on growth and puberty. However, long term effects on learning, intelligence, growth, endocrine function, puberty and childbearing potential in children remain unknown.

 

7. INTERACTION WITH OTHER MEDICINAL PRODUCTS AND OTHER FORMS OF INTERACTION

Antiepileptic medicinal products

Pre-marketing data from clinical studies conducted in adults indicate that levetiracetam did not influence the serum concentrations of existing antiepileptic medicinal products (phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproic acid, phenobarbital, lamotrigine, gabapentin and primidone) and that these antiepileptic medicinal products did not influence the pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam.

As in adults, there is no evidence of clinically significant medicinal product interactions in paediatric patients receiving up to 60 mg/kg/day levetiracetam.

A retrospective assessment of pharmacokinetic interactions in children and adolescents with epilepsy (4 to 17 years) confirmed that adjunctive therapy with orally administered levetiracetam did not influence the steady-state serum concentrations of concomitantly administered carbamazepine and valproate. However, data suggested a 20% higher levetiracetam clearance in children taking enzyme-inducing anti antiepileptic medicinal products. Dose adjustment is not required.

Probenecid

Probenecid (500 mg four times daily), a renal tubular secretion blocking agent, has been shown to inhibit the renal clearance of the primary metabolite, but not of levetiracetam. Nevertheless, the concentration of this metabolite remains low.

Methotrexate

Concomitant administration of levetiracetam and methotrexate has been reported to decrease methotrexate clearance, resulting in increased/prolonged blood methotrexate concentration to potentially toxic levels. Blood methotrexate and levetiracetam levels should be carefully monitored in patients treated concomitantly with the two drugs.

Oral contraceptives and other pharmacokinetics interactions

Levetiracetam 1,000 mg daily did not influence the pharmacokinetics of oral contraceptives (ethinyl-estradiol and levonorgestrel); endocrine parameters (luteinizing hormone and progesterone) were not modified. Levetiracetam 2,000 mg daily did not influence the pharmacokinetics of digoxin and warfarin; prothrombin times were not modified. Co- administration with digoxin, oral contraceptives and warfarin did not influence the pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam.

Laxatives

There have been isolated reports of decreased levetiracetam efficacy when the osmotic laxative macrogol has been concomitantly administered with oral levetiracetam. Therefore, macrogol should not be taken orally for one hour before and for one hour after taking levetiracetam.

Food and alcohol

The extent of absorption of levetiracetam was not altered by food, but the rate of absorption was slightly reduced. No data on the interaction of levetiracetam with alcohol are available.

 

8. FERTILITY, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION

Women of child bearing potential

Specialist advice should be given to women who are of childbearing potential. Treatment with levetiracetam should be reviewed when a woman is planning to become pregnant. As with all antiepileptic medicines, sudden discontinuation of levetiracetam should be avoided as this may lead to breakthrough seizures that could have serious consequences for the woman and the unborn child. Monotherapy should be preferred whenever possible because therapy with multiple antiepileptic medicines AEDs could be associated with a higher risk of congenital malformations than monotherapy, depending on the associated antiepileptics.

Pregnancy

A large amount of postmarketing data on pregnant women exposed to levetiracetam monotherapy (more than 1,800 among which in more than 1,500 exposure occurred during the 1 trimester) do not suggest an increase in the risk for major congenital malformations. Only limited evidence is available on the neurodevelopment of children exposed to Levetiracetam monotherapy in utero. However, current epidemiological studies (on about 100 children) do not suggest an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders or delays.

Levetiracetam can be used during pregnancy, if after careful assessment it is considered clinically needed. In such case, the lowest effective dose is recommended.

Physiological changes during pregnancy may affect levetiracetam concentration. Decrease in levetiracetam plasma concentrations has been observed during pregnancy. This decrease is more pronounced during the third trimester (up to 60% of baseline concentration before pregnancy). Appropriate clinical management of pregnant women treated with levetiracetam should be ensured.

Breastfeeding

Levetiracetam is excreted in human breast milk. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended.

However, if levetiracetam treatment is needed during breastfeeding, the benefit/risk of the treatment should be weighed considering the importance of breastfeeding.

Fertility

No impact on fertility was detected in animal studies. No clinical data are available, potential risk for human is unknown

 

9. EFFECTS ON ABILITY TO DRIVE AND USE MACHINES

Levetiracetam has minor or moderate influence on the ability to drive and use machines. Due to possible different individual sensitivity, some patients might experience somnolence or other central nervous system related symptoms, especially at the beginning of treatment or following a dose increase. Therefore, caution is recommended in those patients when performing skilled tasks, e.g. driving vehicles or operating machinery. Patients are advised not to drive or use machines until it is established that their ability to perform such activities is not affected.

 

10. UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS

Summary of the safety profile

The most frequently reported adverse reactions were nasopharyngitis, somnolence, headache, fatigue and dizziness. The adverse reaction profile presented below is based on the analysis of pooled placebo-controlled clinical trials with all indications studied, with a total of 3,416 patients treated with levetiracetam. These data are supplemented with the use of levetiracetam in corresponding open-label extension studies, as well as post-marketing experience. The safety profile of levetiracetam is generally similar across age groups (adult and paediatric patients) and across the approved epilepsy indications.

 

Tabulated list of adverse reactions

Adverse reactions reported in clinical studies (adults, adolescents, children and infants > 1 month) and from post- marketing experience are listed in the following table per System Organ Class and per frequency. Adverse reactions are presented in the order of decreasing seriousness and their frequency is defined as follows: very common (≥1/10); common (≥1/100 to <1/10); uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100); rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000) and very rare (<1/10,000).

 

 

**Very rare cases of development of obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in patients with underlying history of OCD or psychiatric disorders have been observed in post-marketing surveillance

 

Description of selected adverse reactions

The risk of anorexia is higher when levetiracetam is coadministered with topiramate.

In several cases of alopecia, recovery was observed when levetiracetam was discontinued. Bone marrow suppression was identified in some of the cases of pancytopenia.

Cases of encephalopathy generally occurred at the beginning of the treatment (few days to a few months) and were reversible after treatment discontinuation.

 

Paediatric population

In patients aged 1 month to less than 4 years, a total of 190 patients have been treated with levetiracetam in placebo- controlled and open label extension studies. Sixty of these patients were treated with levetiracetam in placebo-controlled studies. In patients aged 4-16 years, a total of 645 patients have been treated with levetiracetam in placebo-controlled and open label extension studies. 233 of these patients were treated with levetiracetam in placebo-controlled studies. In both these paediatric age ranges, these data are supplemented with the post-marketing experience of the use of levetiracetam.

In addition, 101 infants aged less than 12 months have been exposed in a post authorization safety study. No new safety concerns for levetiracetam were identified for infants less than 12 months of age with epilepsy.

The adverse reaction profile of levetiracetam is generally similar across age groups and across the approved epilepsy indications. Safety results in paediatric patients in placebo-controlled clinical studies were consistent with the safety profile of levetiracetam in adults except for behavioural and psychiatric adverse reactions which were more common in children than in adults. In children and adolescents aged 4 to 16 years, vomiting (very common, 11.2%), agitation (common, 3.4%), mood swings (common, 2.1%), affect lability (common, 1.7%), aggression (common, 8.2%), abnormal behaviour (common, 5.6%), and lethargy (common, 3.9%) were reported more frequently than in other age ranges or in the overall safety profile. In infants and children aged 1 month to less than 4 years, irritability (very common, 11.7%) and coordination abnormal (common, 3.3%) were reported more frequently than in other age groups or in the overall safety profile.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled paediatric safety study with a non-inferiority design has assessed the cognitive and neuropsychological effects of levetiracetam in children 4 to 16 years of age with partial onset seizures. It was concluded that Levetiracetam was not different (non inferior) from placebo with regard to the change from baseline of the Leiter-R Attention and Memory, Memory Screen Composite score in the per-protocol population. Results related to behavioural and emotional functioning indicated a worsening in levetiracetam treated patients on aggressive behaviour as measured in a standardised and systematic way using a validated instrument (CBCL Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist). However, subjects, who took levetiracetam in the long-term open label follow-up study, did not experience a worsening, on average, in their behavioural and emotional functioning; in particular measures of aggressive behaviour were not worse than baseline.

 

11. OVERDOSE

Symptoms

Somnolence, agitation, aggression, depressed level of consciousness, respiratory depression and coma were observed with Levetiracetam overdoses.

Management of overdose

After an acute overdose, the stomach may be emptied by gastric lavage or by induction of emesis. There is no specific antidote for levetiracetam. Treatment of an overdose will be symptomatic and may include haemodialysis. The dialyser extraction efficiency is 60% for levetiracetam and 74% for the primary metabolite.

 

12. STORAGE

Store below 30°C and protect from light.

 

13. PRESENTATION

Blister pack of 3 x 10’s in a carton along with pack insert.

 

Product of:

Zifam Pinnacle Pty. Ltd.,

Sydney, Australia.

 

Manufactured by:

Zifam Pyrex Myanmar Co. Ltd.,

Lot C6, Zone A, Thilawa SEZ, Thanlyin & Kyauk Tan Township, Yang­­on, Myanmar.