According to a story from globenewswire.com, the biopharmaceutical company Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., recently announced the latest updates on the progress of two of its experimental products.
The first is called XEN007, which is in development for alternating hemiplegia of childhood, and the second is XEN1101, which is being developed to treat epilepsy and potentially other neurological disorders as well.
About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a group of neurological disorders which are characterized by periodic, recurring seizures that brain injuries and other neurological problems. They can happen almost at any time to affected people, which can result in serious physical injury. Although there are types of epilepsy that are rare, epilepsy as a whole is not and affects tens of millions of people around the world.
About Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood
Alternating hemiplegia of childhood is much rarer and less well known neurological disorder which is characterized by temporary episodes of hemiplegia, which can appear as weakness or total paralysis that can affect one or, less typically, both sides of the body. The disorder is most likely caused by mutations of the ATP1A3 gene. Aside from the episodes of hemiplegia can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swallowing, appearance of pain, tremors, sweating, changes in skin color, and sceaming. Other symptoms include dystonia, involuntary eye movements, ataxia, and cognitive impairment. Symptoms can appear within the first year of life; the patient may continue to experience them throughout their lives. Treatment options are limited but may include sodium oxybate, flunarizine, and avoiding potential triggers. To learn more about alternating hemiplegia of childhood, click here.
XEN007
First and foremost, XEN007 was recently given Rare Pediatric Disease designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This designation is reserved for therapies that are intended to treat diseases that mostly affect children and impact less than 200,000 people in the US. With the designation, the company will be awarded with a Priority Review voucher if the drug eventually gains approval. The company will most likely conduct a Phase 2 or 3 clinical trial with XEN007 later in the year.
XEN1101
XEN1101 is currently slated to be tested in a Phase 2b clinical trial and Xenon is currently recruiting patients and selecting sites for the trial. This trial will test the drug as a treatment for adults with focal epilepsy with the primary goal to reduce the frequency of seizures in comparison to placebo.
