IVAX acquires epilepsy drug from Lilly

IVAX Corp has entered into an exclusive agreement with Eli Lilly todevelop and market the latter's AMPA receptor antagonist, talampanel, worldwide. Phase II clinical trials with talampanel in patients with severe epilepsy who are not responsive to other drugs have shown positive results, according to IVAX.

Talampanel was initially discovered at the Institute for Drug Research in Budapest, Hungary, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of IVAX. Lilly had originally developed the drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but discontinued this program in 1999. Several preclinical studies have suggested that talampanel can potentiate the anticonvulsant activity of a number of conventional anticonvulsants.