BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Decision Resources, one of the worlds leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the epilepsy market will increase from $2.9 billion in 2011 to nearly $3.7 billion in 2016. The expanding number and growing uptake of third-generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), led by lacosamide (UCBs Vimpat) and including other agents such as perampanel (Eisais Fycompa), eslicarbazepine acetate (Sunovion/Bial/Eisais Zebinix/Stedesa*) and ezogabine/retigabine (GlaxoSmithKline/Valeants Potiga/Trobalt), will be a major contributor to such growth. The Pharmacor advisory service entitled Epilepsy also finds that the second-generation AED drug class will maintain its major-market sales-leader position through 2021. Second-generation agents, such as levetiracetam (UCB/Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Keppra/E Keppra, generics; UCBs Keppra XR, generics) and lamotrigine (GlaxoSmithKline/Justes Lamictal, other brands, generics; GlaxoSmithKlines Lamictal XR), continue to displace older, first-generation AEDs across the major-pharmaceutical markets. Notably, agents in this drug class will experience robust uptake in Japan, as many of these drugs have recently launched there, and the U.S. market will see the launch and uptake of extended-release formulations of select members of the drug class, such as SPN-804 (Supernuss Oxtellar XR). At the same time, the use of third-generation AEDs will not supersede that of second-generation drugs, as the former … Continue reading →

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- While children can demonstrate symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) as early as 19 months, the average age of ASD diagnosis is 4.5 years old. Driven by increasing research pointing to the impact of early ASD detection and treatment, SynapDx Corporation has received $6 million in financing from North Bridge Venture Partners and General Catalyst Partners to support further development of its breakthrough blood-based ASD diagnostic test, designed to identify children with ASD by age 36 months. SynapDx has proven that it has the right combination of scientific, clinical and entrepreneurial expertise to develop tests that will offer parents and pediatricians a better, faster way to identify these disorders, said Bill Geary, Partner, North Bridge Venture Partners. The companys next phase of clinical development will be critical to thousands of children and their families. SynapDxs blood-test approach measures differences in RNA gene expression to distinguish between children with a higher risk for ASDs from those without. The test could hasten the diagnostic process and help children at risk for ASDs secure access to the right evaluations and treatment as early as possible. In its first phase, SynapDx obtained an exclusive license to recently-published discoveries from Boston Childrens … Continue reading →