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. 2024 Sep;45(9):4519-4527.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-024-07485-w. Epub 2024 Apr 1.

Brivaracetam use in clinical practice: a Delphi consensus on its role as first add-on therapy in focal epilepsy and beyond

Simona Lattanzi  1 , Valentina Chiesa  2 , Giancarlo Di Gennaro  3 , Edoardo Ferlazzo  4 , Angelo Labate  5 , Angela La Neve  6 , Stefano Meletti  7   8 , Carlo Di Bonaventura  9 ; Consensus Collaborators Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Brivaracetam use in clinical practice: a Delphi consensus on its role as first add-on therapy in focal epilepsy and beyond

Simona Lattanzi et al. Neurol Sci. 2024 Sep.

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Antiseizure medications remain the cornerstone of treatment for epilepsy, although a proportion of individuals with the condition will continue to experience seizures despite appropriate therapy. Treatment choices for epilepsy are based on variables related to both the individual patient and the available medications. Brivaracetam is a third-generation agent antiseizure medication.

Methods: We carried out a Delphi consensus exercise to define the role of brivaracetam in clinical practice and to provide guidance about its use as first add-on ASM and in selected clinical scenarios. A total of 15 consensus statements were drafted by an expert panel following review of the literature and all were approved in the first round of voting by panelists. The consensus indicated different clinical scenarios for which brivaracetam can be a good candidate for treatment, including first add-on use.

Results: Overall, brivaracetam was considered to have many advantageous characteristics that render it a suitable option for patients with focal epilepsy, including a fast onset of action, favorable pharmacokinetic profile with few drug-drug interactions, broad-spectrum activity, and being well tolerated across a range of doses. Brivaracetam is also associated with sustained clinical response and good tolerability in the long term.

Conclusions: These characteristics also make it suitable as an early add-on for the elderly and for patients with post-stroke epilepsy or status epilepticus as highlighted by the present Delphi consensus.

Keywords: Add-on; Brivaracetam; Consensus; Delphi; Epilepsy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Simona Lattanzi has received speaker’s or consultancy fees from Angelini Pharma, Eisai, GW Pharmaceuticals, Medscape, and UCB Pharma and has served on advisory boards for Angelini Pharma, Arvelle Therapeutics, BIAL, Eisai, GW Pharmaceuticals, and Rapport Therapeutics outside the submitted work.

Valentina Chiesa received speaker and advisory board honoraria from Angelini Pharma, Eisai Pharma, GW, UCB Pharma.

Giancarlo Di Gennaro received speaker and advisory board honoraria from Arvelle Therapeutics, UCB Pharma, Eisai Pharma, Angelini Pharma, GW Pharmaceuticals.

Edoardo Ferlazzo received speaker and advisory board honoraria from Arvelle Therapeutics, UCB Pharma, Eisai Pharma, Angelini Pharma.

Angelo Labate declares no conflict of interest.

Angela La Neve has received speaker’s or consultancy fees from Eisai, Mylan, Sanofi, Bial, GW, UCB Pharma, Arvelle Therapeutics, Angelini Pharma, and Neuraxpharma.

Stefano Meletti received research grant support from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and has received personal compensation as scientific advisory board member and consultancy for UCB, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and EISAI outside the submitted work.

Carlo Di Bonaventura has received consulting fees or speaker honoraria from UCB Pharma, Eisai, Angelini, JAZZ Pharmaceuticals, Bial, and Lusopharma.

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