Sepracor epilepsy drug cuts seizures in studies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sepracor Inc said on Thursday late-stage studies of its experimental epilepsy treatment showed a significant reduction in partial seizures when the product was given along with other epilepsy drugs.

The specialty drug maker said it plans to apply for U.S. marketing approval for the experimental drug, eslicarbazepine acetate, by late 2008 or early 2009.

The 1,049 patients in three Phase 3 studies had a history of more than four partial seizures per month despite treatment with epilepsy drugs.

Patients were given eslicarbazepine acetate in once-daily doses of 800 milligrams or 1200 mg, or a placebo.

Compared with placebo, results showed a 35.4 percent reduction in seizure frequency over 12 weeks for the 800 mg dosage, and a 38.8 percent reduction for the 1200 mg dosage.

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; editing by John Wallace)