Huperzine A suppresses absence seizures in the genetic absence epilepsy rat from Strasbourg (GAERS) model of genetic generalized epilepsy with absence seizures.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated huperzine A treatment in the Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rat from Strasbourg (GAERS) model of genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) with absence seizures. METHODS: Adult male GAERS (N = 15) were implanted with EEG recording electrodes 10 days before receiving study drug. Each animal received the following six treatments as a single, intraperitoneal dose, 7 days apart (in random order): huperzine A (0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg), two periods of vehicle (0.9% NaCl), or ethosuximide (100 mg/kg) as a positive control. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were acquired for 24 h before and after each treatment and analyzed for seizure activity during the 90-min period immediately post-treatment, including 30-min intervals at 30, 60, and 90 min. Additional analyses evaluated seizure activity over the 24-h post-treatment period using 60-min intervals at 6, 12, and 24 h. The cumulative 24-h periods before and after each administered treatment were also compared. RESULTS: Two-way ANOVA showed a treatment difference [F(91,182) = 3.592, p < 0.0001] on the number of seizures over the first 90-min post-treatment (primary outcome); Tukey's post hoc analyses showed that, compared to vehicle, huperzine A (3.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced seizures in the 30-min (p = 0.02) and 60-min (p = 0.001) intervals, and ethosuximide significantly reduced seizures at all measured time intervals except the 1-h blocks at 12 and 24 h. Huperzine A 3.0 mg/kg and ethosuximide significantly reduced seizures during the cumulative 24-h post-treatment period relative to pretreatment baseline. While huperzine A 3.0 mg/kg did not differ significantly from ethosuximide at any time point, the study was not designed to evaluate non-inferiority. The only adverse event after huperzine A or ethosuximide was mild, dose-dependent sedation. SIGNIFICANCE: Huperzine A potently suppressed absence-like seizures in GAERS, albeit with a shorter duration of action relative to ethosuximide, showing promise for clinical efficacy in GGE. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This study looked at how huperzine A affects seizures in rats with similar abnormal brain activity as seen in humans with absence epilepsy. Rats received different treatments, placebo (i.e., saline solution), huperzine A, and ethosuximide. Ethosuximide is considered a gold standard treatment for absence epilepsy. We recorded brain activity to measure seizures before and after each treatment. We found that huperzine A (3.0 mg/kg) reduced seizures soon after treatment, like ethosuximide. Both treatments appeared safe, causing only mild sleepiness. The study shows that huperzine A could be a good new treatment for a type of absence epilepsy.

Extended-release amantadine for OFF-related dystonia in Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Dystonia is a painful OFF-related complication in Parkinson's disease (PD) with limited treatment options. METHODS: Post-hoc analysis using pooled data from two extended-release amantadine pivotal trials and follow-on open-label extension. Dystonia was assessed using the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS) Part 2 and the Movement Disorder Society-Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) item 4.6. RESULTS: Of 196 participants, 119 (60.7%) reported OFF-related dystonia at baseline per UDysRS. Twelve-week treatment with extended-release amantadine improved OFF dystonia (treatment differences vs placebo: UDysRS Part 2, -1.0 [-1.9,-0.1]; p = 0.03 and MDS-UPDRS Item 4.6, -0.3 [-0.6,-0.05]; p = 0.02). There was no correlation between changes in OFF time and changes in OFF dystonia. Double-blind improvements in OFF dystonia were sustained throughout the 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Extended-release amantadine yielded a sustained reduction in OFF-related dystonia in PD patients that was independent from a reduction in OFF time. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to confirm these findings.

Clinically important change on the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale among patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing dyskinesia.

Background: The Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS) evaluates dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A minimal clinically important change (MCIC)-the smallest change in a treatment outcome that a patient considers important-remains undefined for the UDysRS. Objective: To utilize pivotal amantadine delayed-release/extended-release (DR/ER) trial data to derive MCICs for the UDysRS total score in patients with PD experiencing dyskinesia. Methods: Pivotal trials included PD patients with ≥1 h daily ON time with troublesome dyskinesia and baseline scores ≥2 on the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part IV, item 4.2. Patients randomized to amantadine DR/ER or placebo completed two consecutive 24-h diaries before each clinic visit and were evaluated during ON time with dyskinesia using the UDysRS, MDS-UPDRS, and Clinician Global Impression of Change (CGI-C). The UDysRS changes from baseline to week 12 were anchored to corresponding changes in MDS-UPDRS item 4.2 scores. A minimal clinically important improvement in the CGI-C and diary-reported ON time with troublesome dyskinesia (≥0.5 h) were supportive anchors. Receiver operating characteristic curves determined the UDysRS change values optimizing sensitivity and specificity to at least minimal improvement on each anchor. Results: The analyses included 196 patients. Week 12 UDysRS total score reduction of ≥8 points corresponded to at least minimal MDS-UPDRS item 4.2 improvement. UDysRS reduction of ≥9 points corresponded to decreased ON time with troublesome dyskinesia of ≥0.5 h per patient diaries, and UDysRS reduction of ≥10 points corresponded to at least minimal improvement on the CGI-C. Conclusion: Anchored to the MDS-UPDRS Part IV, item 4.2, an 8-point reduction in the UDysRS total score can be considered an MCIC for PD patients with dyskinesia.

Amantadine delayed release/extended release capsules significantly reduce OFF time in Parkinson's disease.

Maintaining consistent levodopa benefits while simultaneously controlling dyskinesia can be difficult. Recently, an amantadine delayed release/extended release (DR/ER) formulation (Gocovri®) indicated for dyskinesia received additional FDA approval as an adjunct to levodopa for the treatment of OFF episodes. We evaluated OFF time reductions with amantadine-DR/ER in a pooled analysis of two phase III amantadine-DR/ER trials (NCT02136914, NCT02274766) followed by a 2-year open-label extension trial (NCT02202551). OFF outcomes were analyzed for the mITT population, as well as stratified by baseline OFF time of ≥2.5 h/day or <2.5 h/day. At Week 12, mean placebo-subtracted treatment difference in OFF time was -1.00 [-1.57, -0.44] h in the mITT population (n = 196), -1.2 [-2.08, -0.32] h in the ≥2.5 h subgroup (n = 102) and -0.77 [-1.49, -0.06] in the <2.5 h subgroup (n = 94). Amantadine-DR/ER-treated participants showed reduced MDS-UPDRS Part IV motor fluctuation subscores by week 2 that were maintained below baseline to Week 100.

Potential utility of amantadine DR/ER in persons with Parkinson's disease meeting 5-2-1 criteria for device aided therapy.

BACKGROUND: The 5-2-1 criteria (≥5 levodopa doses/day, ≥2 h OFF/day, and ≥ 1-hour dyskinesia/day) propose to identify people with Parkinson's disease (PD) who are poorly controlled on oral therapies and who may therefore benefit from device-aided therapies. Amantadine-DR/ER is the only medication FDA-approved for both dyskinesia and OFF episodes in levodopa-treated patients. In this post-hoc analysis of phase 3 clinical trials, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of amantadine-DR/ER in patients meeting 5-2-1 criteria. METHODS: Week-12 treatment differences (Amantadine-DR/ER - placebo) in the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS) and PD motor states (patient diaries) were evaluated in pooled, phase-3, double-blind trial participants meeting 5-2-1 criteria at baseline. This 5-2-1 cohort was followed into a 2-year open-label trial, where Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rate Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part IV scores were assessed relative to double-blind baseline. RESULTS: Of 198 enrolled participants in the phase 3 trials, 65 (33%; n = 29 placebo; n = 36 amantadine-DR/ER) comprised the 5-2-1 cohort. At Week-12 endpoint, amantadine-DR/ER significantly improved UDysRS scores (treatment difference of 9.57 ± 3.15 points, p = 0.004) and ON time without troublesome dyskinesia ('good ON', treatment difference of 2.9 ± 0.90 h/day, p = 0.002). Improvements in good ON time resulted from significant reductions in both troublesome dyskinesia and OFF time. Treatment benefit on MDS-UPDRS-Part IV was sustained through open-label, follow-up. The most common adverse events in patients who met 5-2-1 criteria and were treated with amantadine-DR/ER included falls and peripheral edema. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest Amantadine-DR/ER should be considered as an option for people with PD who meet 5-2-1 criteria.

Effects of Gocovri (Amantadine) Extended-Release Capsules on Motor Aspects of Experiences of Daily Living in People with Parkinson's Disease and Dyskinesia.

INTRODUCTION: Gocovri, a bedtime-administered delayed-release/extended-release capsule formulation of amantadine, is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as levodopa-adjunctive therapy for the treatment of OFF episodes and/or dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease (PD). Part II of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) assesses patient-perceived disability on experiences of daily living affected by PD motor symptoms. We analyzed Gocovri-related changes in MDS-UPDRS Part II ratings in two placebo-controlled clinical trials. METHODS: Baseline to week 12 changes in MDS-UPDRS Part II total and item scores were compared for Gocovri and placebo using pooled data from phase 3 trials (EASE LID and EASE LID 3). RESULTS: Baseline mean MDS-UPDRS Part II total score was 15.1 for Gocovri (n = 100) and 15.3 for placebo (n = 96) groups. At week 12, the least squares mean change from baseline was -3.4 for the Gocovri group and -1.4 for placebo (treatment difference, -2.0; 95% CI -3.3 to -0.7; P = 0.004). For Gocovri, change from baseline exceeded a published minimal clinically important difference threshold of 3.05. Gocovri-related treatment differences over placebo were driven primarily by improvement in the scale items of freezing (-0.4; P < 0.0001), tremor (-0.4; P = 0.002), getting out of bed/car/deep chair (-0.3; P = 0.002), and eating tasks (-0.2; P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: In addition to improvement in dyskinesia, Gocovri-treated participants experienced improvement in motor aspects of experiences of daily living. Analyses suggest that Gocovri may specifically improve freezing, tremor, getting out of bed/car/deep chair, and eating tasks. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT02136914, NCT02274766.

Amantadine ER (Gocovri®) Significantly Increases ON Time Without Any Dyskinesia: Pooled Analyses From Pivotal Trials in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Clinical trials for antiparkinsonian drugs aimed at managing motor complications typically use patient diaries to divide levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LID) into "troublesome" and "non-troublesome" categories. Yet, given the choice, most patients would prefer to live without experiencing any dyskinesia. However, the concept of evaluating time spent ON without any dyskinesia as an outcome has never been tested. We conducted analyses of pooled Gocovri pivotal trial data in order to evaluate the extent to which Gocovri increased the time PD patients spent ON without dyskinesia (troublesome or non-troublesome), beyond its already identified improvement in reducing troublesome dyskinesia. Methods: Patients enrolled in phase 3 trials (EASE LID [NCT02136914] or EASE LID 3 [NCT02274766]) recorded time spent in the following PD diary states at baseline and Week 12 (endpoint): asleep, OFF, ON with troublesome dyskinesia, ON with non-troublesome dyskinesia, and ON without dyskinesia. Mixed model repeated measures analyses with estimated Cohen D effect sizes were performed on the modified intent to treat population to evaluate changes in time spent in these states. Results: Patients randomized to receive Gocovri showed an increase in ON time without dyskinesia and corresponding decreases in ON time with dyskinesia and OFF time vs. placebo. Treatment effects were statistically significant for Gocovri vs. placebo starting at Week 2 and were sustained until Week 12. On MMRM analysis at Week 12, patients in the Gocovri group showed an adjusted mean ± SE increase over placebo of 2.9 ± 0.6 h in ON time without dyskinesia (Cohen D effect size 0.79) and an adjusted mean ± SE decrease of -1.9 ± 0.6 h in ON time with dyskinesia (troublesome + non-troublesome) (Cohen D effect size 0.49), that included a -1.5 ± 0.4 h placebo-adjusted reduction in ON time with troublesome dyskinesia and a -0.6 ± 0.4 h reduction in ON time with non-troublesome dyskinesia. OFF time was reduced by -1.0 ± 0.3 h compared to placebo. Conclusions: Gocovri treatment more than doubled the daily time patients spent ON without dyskinesia. These results suggest that the Gocovri treatment effect was driven by a reduction in overall motor complications including ON time with both troublesome and non-troublesome dyskinesia as well as time spent OFF.

Dextromethorphan/Quinidine for Pseudobulbar Affect Following Stroke: Safety and Effectiveness in the PRISM II Trial.

BACKGROUND: Dextromethorphan (DM) / quinidine (Q) was approved for pseudobulbar affect (PBA) treatment based on efficacy and safety trials in patients with PBA caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis. The PRISM II trial evaluated DM/Q as PBA treatment in patients with stroke, dementia, or traumatic brain injury. OBJECTIVE: To report results from the stroke cohort of PRISM II, including the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). DESIGN: Open-label trial evaluating twice-daily DM/Q over 90 days. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Adults (n = 113) with a clinical diagnosis of PBA secondary to stroke; stable psychiatric medications were allowed. METHODS: PRISM II was an open-label, 12-week trial enrolling adults with PBA caused by dementia, stroke (reported here), or TBI. All study participants received DM/Q 20/10 mg twice daily. Study visits occurred at baseline and at days 30 and 90. SETTING: 150 U.S. centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Primary efficacy measure was changed from baseline to day 90 in Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) scores. Secondary outcomes included PBA episodes (estimated over 7 days), Clinical and Patient/Caregiver Global Impression of Change (CGI-C and PGI-C), Quality of Life-Visual Analog Scale (QOL-VAS), SIS, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS: Compared with baseline, CNS-LS scores (SD) improved by -6.2 (6.1, P < .001) at day 30 and -7.6 (6.7, P < .001) at day 90. PBA episodes were reduced by 65% and 75% at day 30 and 90, respectively. Seventy-five percent of clinicians and 67% of patients/caregivers rated PBA as "much" or "very much improved." All SIS items significantly improved from baseline (P < .05, all). Adverse events included diarrhea (4.4%), headache (3.5%), constipation (2.7%), and dizziness (2.7%); 5.3% had adverse events leading to study discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: DM/Q effectively treated PBA and was associated with global and functional improvement; adverse events were consistent with the known safety profile of DM/Q.

Safety, Tolerability, and Effectiveness of Dextromethorphan/Quinidine for Pseudobulbar Affect Among Study Participants With Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From the PRISM-II Open Label Study.

BACKGROUND: Dextromethorphan 20 mg / quinidine 10 mg (DM/Q) was approved to treat pseudobulbar affect (PBA) based on phase 3 trials conducted in participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis. PRISM II evaluated DM/Q effectiveness, safety, and tolerability for PBA following stroke, dementia, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). OBJECTIVE: To report results from the TBI cohort of PRISM II, including a TBI-specific functional scale. DESIGN: Open-label trial evaluating twice-daily DM/Q over 90 days. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Adults (n = 120) with a clinical diagnosis of PBA secondary to nonpenetrating TBI; stable psychiatric medications were allowed. METHODS: PRISM II was an open-label, 12-week trial enrolling adults with PBA secondary to dementia, stroke, or TBI (NCT01799941). All study participants received DM/Q 20/10 mg twice daily. Study visits occurred at baseline and at day 30 and day 90. SETTING: 150 U.S. centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Primary endpoint was change in Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) score from baseline to day 90. Secondary outcomes included PBA episode count, Clinical and Patient Global Impression of Change (CGI-C; PGI-C), Quality of Life-Visual Analog Scale (QOL-VAS), treatment satisfaction, Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory (NFI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS: DM/Q-treated participants showed significant mean (SD) reductions in CNS-LS from baseline (day 30, -5.6 [5.2]; day 90, -8.5 [5.2]; both, P<.001). Compared with baseline, PBA episodes were reduced by 61.3% and 78.5% at days 30 and 90 (both, P<.001). At day 90, 78% and 73% of study participants had "much improved" or "very much improved" on the CGI-C and PGI-C. QOL-VAS scores were significantly reduced from baseline (-3.7 [3.3], P<.001). Mean (SD) PHQ-9 scores improved compared to baseline at day 30 (-3.2 [5.3], P<.001) and 90 (-5.2 [6.4], P<.001). NFI T scores were significantly improved (P<.001), whereas MMSE scores were unchanged. Adverse events (AEs) were consistent with the known DM/Q safety profile; the most common AE was diarrhea (8.3%). CONCLUSIONS: DM/Q was well tolerated, and it significantly reduced PBA episodes in study participants with TBI. Changes in CNS-LS and PBA episode count were similar to changes with DM/Q in phase 3 trials. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

PRISM II: an open-label study to assess effectiveness of dextromethorphan/quinidine for pseudobulbar affect in patients with dementia, stroke or traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Phase 3 trials supporting dextromethorphan/quinidine (DM/Q) use as a treatment for pseudobulbar affect (PBA) were conducted in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or multiple sclerosis (MS). The PRISM II study provides additional DM/Q experience with PBA secondary to dementia, stroke, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Participants in this open-label, multicenter, 90-day trial received DM/Q 20/10 mg twice daily. The primary outcome was the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS), assessing change in PBA episode frequency and severity. The CNS-LS final visit score was compared to baseline (primary analysis) and to the response in a previously conducted placebo-controlled trial with DM/Q in patients with ALS or MS. Secondary outcomes included change in PBA episode count and Clinical Global Impression of Change with respect to PBA as rated by a clinician (CGI-C) and by the patient or caregiver (PGI-C). RESULTS: The study enrolled 367 participants with PBA secondary to dementia, stroke, or TBI. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) CNS-LS score improved significantly from 20.4 (4.4) at baseline to 12.8 (5.0) at Day 90/Final Visit (change, -7.7 [6.1]; P < .001, 95 % CI: -8.4, -7.0). This magnitude of improvement was consistent with DM/Q improvement in the earlier phase-3, placebo-controlled trial (mean [95 % CI] change from baseline, -8.2 [-9.4, -7.0]) and numerically exceeds the improvement seen with placebo in that study (-5.7 [-6.8, -4.7]). Reduction in PBA episode count was 72.3 % at Day 90/Final Visit compared with baseline (P < .001). Scores on CGI-C and PGI-C showed that 76.6 and 72.4 % of participants, respectively, were "much" or "very much" improved with respect to PBA. The most frequently occurring adverse events (AEs) were diarrhea (5.4 %), headache (4.1 %), urinary tract infection (2.7 %), and dizziness (2.5 %); 9.8 % had AEs that led to discontinuation. Serious AEs were reported in 6.3 %; however, none were considered treatment related. CONCLUSIONS: DM/Q was shown to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for PBA secondary to dementia, stroke, or TBI. The magnitude of PBA improvement was similar to that reported in patients with PBA secondary to ALS or MS, and the adverse event profile was consistent with the known safety profile of DM/Q. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01799941, registered on 25 February 2013.

An open-label multicenter study to assess the safety of dextromethorphan/quinidine in patients with pseudobulbar affect associated with a range of underlying neurological conditions.

BACKGROUND: Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is associated with neurological disorders or injury affecting the brain, and characterized by frequent, uncontrollable episodes of crying and/or laughing that are exaggerated or unrelated to the patient's emotional state. Clinical trials establishing dextromethorphan and quinidine (DM/Q) as PBA treatment were conducted in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or multiple sclerosis (MS). This trial evaluated DM/Q safety in patients with PBA secondary to any neurological condition affecting the brain. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of DM/Q during long-term administration to patients with PBA associated with multiple neurological conditions. METHODS: Fifty-two-week open-label study of DM/Q 30/30 mg twice daily. Safety measures included adverse events (AEs), laboratory tests, electrocardiograms (ECGs), vital signs, and physical examinations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: #NCT00056524. RESULTS: A total of 553 PBA patients with >30 different neurological conditions enrolled; 296 (53.5%) completed. The most frequently reported treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) were nausea (11.8%), dizziness (10.5%), headache (9.9%), somnolence (7.2%), fatigue (7.1%), diarrhea (6.5%), and dry mouth (5.1%). TRAEs were mostly mild/moderate, generally transient, and consistent with previous controlled trials. Serious AEs (SAEs) were reported in 126 patients (22.8%), including 47 deaths, mostly due to ALS progression and respiratory failure. No SAEs were deemed related to DM/Q treatment by investigators. ECG results suggested no clinically meaningful effect of DM/Q on myocardial repolarization. Differences in AEs across neurological disease groups appeared consistent with the known morbidity of the primary neurological conditions. Study interpretation is limited by the small size of some disease groups, the lack of a specific efficacy measure and the use of a DM/Q dose higher than the eventually approved dose. CONCLUSIONS: DM/Q was generally well tolerated over this 52 week trial in patients with PBA associated with a wide range of neurological conditions.