E Keppra Injectable, to be Launched in Japan on December 1; Will Contribute to Uninterrupted Treatment of Epilepsy Patients Aged 4 and Over with Partial-onset Seizures®

E Keppra IV Drip Infusion was developed to enable uninterrupted treatment of patients who temporarily become unable to swallow oral E Keppra formulations. Following tablets and dry syrup, this will be the third E Keppra dosage form available for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in epilepsy patients.®®® About 1% of people worldwide have epilepsy, and its onset rate is particularly high among infants and the elderly. About 70% of patients can live seizure-free lives if they continuously take anti-epileptic drugs. Patients who are unable to take oral medications need injectable formulations as alternatives, and E Keppra IV Drip Infusion offers a new treatment option for these patients.® The first oral E Keppra formulation (brand name outside Japan: Keppra), which was approved in Japan in 2010, has been used by more than 100,000 patients. E Keppra Injectable was approved in the US and Europe in 2006 and has received approval in more than 40 countries and regions.®®® Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and UCB Japan Co., Ltd. are pleased to announce that E Keppra for IV Drip Infusion 500 mg (levetiracetam) will be launched in Japan on December 1, 2015. Like its oral formulations, E Keppra IV Drip Infusion will be indicated for partial-onset seizures (including secondary generalized seizures) in epilepsy patients as a temporary alternative when they are unable to ingest oral formulations.®®

The release as fetched from its publisher. otsuka.co.jp ↗