Author(s)

Yuchu Wang, Yaoyao Zhan, Gabriel Jie Zhang

Corresponding Author

Gabriel Jie Zhang

ABSTRACT

A seizure is defined as a “sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain.” [1]. Often, seizures can cause changes in behavior, movement, feelings, and levels of consciousness. Seizures are more common than you think and in the United States there are over 3.4 million people with epilepsy with around 200000 new patients being diagnosed with epilepsy each year. Even though chronic, daily oral medications are available to control epilepsy, there remains a large amount of people (around 170000) at risk for episodes of frequent seizure activity known as cluster seizures. This population represents a significant unmet need for patients of the epilepsy community. Valtoco was recently FDA approved on January 10, 2020, and is a solution to this unmet need. It is a benzodiazepine nasal spray that is used as a short-term active treatment for intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequency seizure activity also known as seizure clusters. The seizure pattern must be distinct from the patient’s usual seizure pattern. The mechanism at which nasal benzodiazepines are currently unknown but it appears to function by enhancing receptor activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid which functions as the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. This paper will analyze and go through the mechanism and functions of Valtoco specifically, analyze the safety and side effects of the drug.

KEYWORDS

Valtoco, cluster seizures, Pharmacokinetics, drug safety, FDA-approved