November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month in the US, and this year the Epilepsy Foundation is daring people to understand more about the disorder, in order to increase awareness and break down barriers for those suffering from seizures.
According to a release from the foundation, “the Epilepsy Foundation’s “#DareTo” campaign challenges the general public to better understand epilepsy, to know how to recognize seizures and to learn proper first aid. For people living with epilepsy, “#DareTo” focuses on improving understanding and management of their seizures, including exploring the best available treatment options.”
Epilepsy is a spectrum of brain disorders varying from benign to severe, disabling, and even life-threatening. Having two or more unprovoked seizures is enough to land a person with an epilepsy diagnosis, even if the cause of the seizures remains unknown. There is no cure, and seizures are typically managed through lifestyle changes and anti-seizure medications.
Like many other neurological disorders, epilepsy can be intensely frustrating for patients, as it can manifest in so many different ways and little is known about specific causes. According to the Epilepsy Canada website, possible triggers for seizures include:
- Stress
- Poor nutrition
- Missed medication
- Flickering lights
- Skipping meals
- Illness, fever and allergies
- Lack of sleep
- Emotions such as anger, worry, fear and others
- Heat and/or humidity
Not exactly an exclusive list.
And to compound matters further, there is a lot of misinformation and latent stigma about the disorder that still exists, presumably leftover from the days when people believe epilepsy to be caused by demonic possession.
Obviously the stigma has lessened significantly over the past few hundred years, but there is still a lot of fear surrounding both epilepsy itself as well as those who suffer from seizures.
Luckily, thanks to efforts like Epilepsy Awareness Month, the stigma of the disorder is gradually decreasing. As more and more patients are diagnosed, the Global Epilepsy Market is growing at a CAGR of 5.06 percent, which means means more dollars are being put towards developing new treatments in this area.
Huge Gaps Still Present in Treatment Options, Even With a Growing Patient Population
According to a World Health Organization fact sheet from October 2012, there are 50 million people globally suffering from epilepsy, with approximately 80 percent of these people coming from developing regions.
But even given this relatively widespread patient population, there is still a huge unmet medical need in the market. Currently, drugs administered for epilepsy are intended to treat seizures, but they fail to account for the progression of the disorder, and any neuronal damage sustained from uncontrolled seizures cannot be reversed.
Drug resistant or treatment-refractory epilepsy also poses a major threat to life expectancy and quality of life for patients. It is estimated that nearly 33 percent of epileptic patients suffer from uncontrolled seizures even after initiating treatment. And the drugs themselves aren’t exactly pretty—they come with side effects like weight gain, blurred vision, dizziness, increased suicide risk, and administration of anti-epileptic drugs during pregnancy can impact healthy development of the fetus.
Any drug able to cater to these demands without producing the negative side effects is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.
New and Reformulated Drugs on the Horizon
On the bright side, some significant attention is being paid to developing innovative new treatments, to fill gaps in the market. Drug delivery systems such as transdermal patches, ER formulations, and orally disintegrating tablets increase the efficacy of drugs either by increasing patient compliance or by increasing the bioavailability of the drug. Reformulating marketed drugs also provides an opportunity to grab patent term extensions, which can delay the entry of generic versions in the market.
In addition, the Global Epilepsy Market is currently witnessing a shift in focus toward second-generation drugs, which offer advantages over first-generation drugs such as simpler pharmacokinetic profiles.
This combo shot of awareness and significant medical advances will mark the epilepsy market over the next few years, and hopefully result in better quality of life and acceptance from those suffering from chronic seizures.
