Seizure drug Qudexy XR approved for use in younger patients

Qudexy XR, a treatment option for seizures, has been approved for an expanded indication that will allow it to be used In patients as young as 2 years old, drug maker Upsher-Smith said on Monday.


This treatment already had been approved for patients 10 and up since June 2014. It Is primarily used as a therapeutic measure for patients prone to partial-onset or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The capsules can be ground into a fine powder and sprinkled onto soft food for patients who have trouble swallowing full-size tablets. 


"The expanded indication gives physicians the option to prescribe Qudexy XR as initial monotherapy in patients as young as 2 years old," William Pullman , chief scientific officer for Upsher-Smith, said. "This, combined with its ability to be sprinkled on soft food for ease of administration, makes it a viable treatment option for the pediatric-patient population."


This medication is primarily used to alleviate seizures in those with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a form of childhood-onset epilepsy.

Upsher-Smith Laboratories specializes in the development and manufacture of therapeutic treatments for a range of disorders and conditions that affect the central nervous system, as well as dermatological conditions.