Australian Scientists Develop Genetic Test for Epilepsy

Australian scientists have developed a new genetic test to help predict the response of epilepsy sufferers to commonly used drug treatments.

Epilepsy is a one of the most serious and prevalent disorders of the central nervous system. The drugs of choice for treating the disease are carbamazepine and valproate--drugs, which have limited efficacy. Forty percent of patients treated with these drugs suffer from significant adverse drug reactions and 20-40% experience recurring seizures.

The new genetic test will tell doctors whether their patients are genetically predisposed to respond to the medication, which will allow them to more effectively target treatment and care. The easy-to-use diagnostic test has been validated in a large trial of over 300 patients and is currently being examined in another 600 patients.

Developed by doctors from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne University (Australia) and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (Melbourne, Australia), the noninvasive blood-based test was featured in the Innovation Corridor at the BIO International Conference, which took place in San Diego (CA, USA) from June 17-20, 2008. The Innovation Corridor is a forum for both young and experienced investigators and biotech professionals to share their creative, new ideas--ideas that will generate new biotech breakthroughs as global business benefits.

The combined market for epilepsy drugs in the United States and Europe is greater than US$3 billion and is growing at an annual rate of approximately 15%.


Related Links:
Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne University
Murdoch Children's Research Institute