Verapamil as Therapy for Children and Young Adults With Dravet Syndrome

NCT ID: NCT01607073

Last Updated: 2021-04-13

Study Results

Results available

Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.

View full results

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

2 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-04-30

Study Completion Date

2015-01-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study will assess how well the drug verapamil can improve control of seizures and dysautonomia symptoms in children and young adults diagnosed with Dravet syndrome. The safety of verapamil when given with all concomitant medications will also be assessed.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Dravet syndrome (DS) is a devastating form of pediatric seizure disorder (epilepsy), often related to abnormalities of one of the genes that controls sodium channel function in the brain (SCN1A). Most children with DS experience continued seizures even with optimal treatment of currently available anti-seizure therapies \[1\]. Many of these seizures are prolonged, and can be life threatening.

This pilot study will assess the efficacy of verapamil in improving control of seizures in children and young adults DS. This will be done by adding verapamil as open label adjunctive therapy to medications already being given. Investigators will assess the effect of verapamil therapy on seizure control and on signs of autonomic dysfunction observable to the parents/guardians. Signs of autonomic function include body temperature regulation, sweating, heart rate, pupil size, and flushing of the skin. Iannetti, et al reported treating 2 children with clinical DS (one with an SCN1A mutation) with verapamil as adjunctive therapy \[2\]. Both children had a positive clinical response persisting for a number of months. No adverse effects were noted. We have treated an additional 4 children with DS with verapamil. There have been no significant adverse effects; 3 of 4 have experienced improved seizure control for months also.

Verapamil has been shown to affect autonomic tone in patients with cardiac disorders (eg. high blood pressure, heart attack). It alters the balance between parts of the autonomic nervous system's function (called sympathetic and parasympathetic function) with a shift toward decreased sympathetic tone and increased parasympathetic (vagus nerve) tone \[8, 9, 10\]. Verapamil is used as an effective agent to treat certain types of autonomic headaches in both adults and children. In cluster headaches, autonomic symptoms (tearing, nasal congestion, facial sweating, papillary constriction) are prominent; verapamil is an accepted treatment \[11, 12\].

Intense emotion triggers seizures in a subset of children with DS. Modulation of autonomic function is likely an integral part of seizure threshold in those so affected. Children with DS have a higher rate of signs of abnormal autonomic function than do controls \[13\]. Cardiac autonomic control is also altered in these children, with a shift in the balance between sympathetic (relatively overactive) and parasympathetic (relatively less active) tone \[14\]. Similar findings have been identified in adults with intractable epilepsy and children with partial epilepsy \[15, 16, 17\]. Verapamil's action in stabilizing the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone may play a role altering autonomic tone abnormalities in children with DS as well. This may be a part of the mechanism that leads to improved seizure control.

Verapamil has been in clinical use for \~ 25 years. The FDA has granted an Investigational New Drug approval for use of this medication in this population of children and young adults. Investigators propose to add it to the patient's existing medications, and evaluate potential improvement in seizure control. Potential side effects will be screened. Investigators will monitor liver function with blood tests as well as concentrations of anti-seizure medications. Verapamil and nor-verapamil levels will be assessed twice also. Testing of heart rhythm (EKG) will be done before the study starts and twice more during the study.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Dravet Syndrome

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

open label adjunctive add on

open label adjunctive add on of verapamil to existing medications. dosing begins at 1 mg/kg/d and increases weekly to target of 4 mg/kg/d in divided doses (three times/day)

Group Type OTHER

Verapamil

Intervention Type DRUG

Verapamil will be prepared as a solution. A 50mg/ml oral suspension may be made with immediate release tablets and either a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus or a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet SF and Ora-Plus will be used.

Children will start on a 4 weeks titration period:

Week 1: 1mg/kg/day divided BID Week 2: 2mg/kg/day divided BID or TID Week 3: 3mg/kg/day divided BID or TID Week 4: 4mg/kg/day divided TID

In event of adverse events, and in consultation with the family and treating physician, the dosage may be decreased to 2mg/kg/day and remain at that dose for the remainder of the study.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Verapamil

Verapamil will be prepared as a solution. A 50mg/ml oral suspension may be made with immediate release tablets and either a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus or a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet SF and Ora-Plus will be used.

Children will start on a 4 weeks titration period:

Week 1: 1mg/kg/day divided BID Week 2: 2mg/kg/day divided BID or TID Week 3: 3mg/kg/day divided BID or TID Week 4: 4mg/kg/day divided TID

In event of adverse events, and in consultation with the family and treating physician, the dosage may be decreased to 2mg/kg/day and remain at that dose for the remainder of the study.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Calan Covera Isoptin Verelan

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* 2 to 25 years old
* Onset of seizures in first year of life
* seizure type usually generalized tonic-clonic, clonic, or hemiclonic, often prolonged (\>10 minutes)
* myoclonic jerks/myoclonic seizures
* history of normal development at seizure onset with subsequent developmental delay or regression which occurs after seizure onset
* presence of documented abnormality on the SCN1A gene
* medically intractable epilepsy: must have been on at least 2 prior antiepileptic medications without adequate control of epilepsy
* subject is capable of giving informed consent (or assent if possible) or has an acceptable surrogate capable of giving informed consent on the subject's behalf

Exclusion Criteria

* use of clonidine, propranolol, carbamazepine, oxcarbazine, stiripentol, lamotrigine, or cyclosporine
* Abnormalities of cardiac conduction or rhythm (excluding sinus arrhythmia) on screening EKG
* significant use of grapefruit juice
* ketogenic diet
* pregnancy
Minimum Eligible Age

2 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

25 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Beverly S Wical, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Children's Memorial Hospital

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Site Status

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Site Status

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States

Site Status

Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital

Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Skluzacek JV, Watts KP, Parsy O, Wical B, Camfield P. Dravet syndrome and parent associations: the IDEA League experience with comorbid conditions, mortality, management, adaptation, and grief. Epilepsia. 2011 Apr;52 Suppl 2:95-101. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03012.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21463290 (View on PubMed)

Delogu AB, Spinelli A, Battaglia D, Dravet C, De Nisco A, Saracino A, Romagnoli C, Lanza GA, Crea F. Electrical and autonomic cardiac function in patients with Dravet syndrome. Epilepsia. 2011 Apr;52 Suppl 2:55-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03003.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21463281 (View on PubMed)

Iannetti P, Parisi P, Spalice A, Ruggieri M, Zara F. Addition of verapamil in the treatment of severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy. Epilepsy Res. 2009 Jul;85(1):89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2009.02.014. Epub 2009 Mar 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19303743 (View on PubMed)

Schwartz JB, Keefe DL, Kirsten E, Kates RE, Harrison DC. Prolongation of verapamil elimination kinetics during chronic oral administration. Am Heart J. 1982 Aug;104(2 Pt 1):198-203. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(82)90192-2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7102502 (View on PubMed)

Flynn JT, Pasko DA. Calcium channel blockers: pharmacology and place in therapy of pediatric hypertension. Pediatr Nephrol. 2000 Dec;15(3-4):302-16. doi: 10.1007/s004670000480.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11149130 (View on PubMed)

Porter CJ, Garson A Jr, Gillette PC. Verapamil: an effective calcium blocking agent for pediatric patients. Pediatrics. 1983 May;71(5):748-55.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6340050 (View on PubMed)

Sapire DW, O'Riordan AC, Black IF. Safety and efficacy of short- and long-term verapamil therapy in children with tachycardia. Am J Cardiol. 1981 Dec;48(6):1091-7. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(81)90325-8. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6795914 (View on PubMed)

Lefrandt JD, Heitmann J, Sevre K, Castellano M, Hausberg M, Fallon M, Fluckiger L, Urbigkeit A, Rostrup M, Agabiti-Rosei E, Rahn KH, Murphy M, Zannad F, de Kam PJ, van Roon AM, Smit AJ. The effects of dihydropyridine and phenylalkylamine calcium antagonist classes on autonomic function in hypertension: the VAMPHYRE study. Am J Hypertens. 2001 Nov;14(11 Pt 1):1083-9. doi: 10.1016/s0895-7061(01)02218-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11724204 (View on PubMed)

Petretta M, Canonico V, Madrid A, Mickiewicz M, Spinelli L, Marciano F, Vetrano A, Signorini A, Bonaduce D. Comparison of verapamil versus felodipine on heart rate variability in hypertensive patients. J Hypertens. 1999 May;17(5):707-13. doi: 10.1097/00004872-199917050-00016.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10403616 (View on PubMed)

Forslund L, Bjorkander I, Ericson M, Held C, Kahan T, Rehnqvist N, Hjemdahl P. Prognostic implications of autonomic function assessed by analyses of catecholamines and heart rate variability in stable angina pectoris. Heart. 2002 May;87(5):415-22. doi: 10.1136/heart.87.5.415.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11997407 (View on PubMed)

May A, Leone M, Afra J, Linde M, Sandor PS, Evers S, Goadsby PJ; EFNS Task Force. EFNS guidelines on the treatment of cluster headache and other trigeminal-autonomic cephalalgias. Eur J Neurol. 2006 Oct;13(10):1066-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01566.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16987158 (View on PubMed)

Lampl C. Childhood-onset cluster headache. Pediatr Neurol. 2002 Aug;27(2):138-40. doi: 10.1016/s0887-8994(02)00406-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12213616 (View on PubMed)

Mukherjee S, Tripathi M, Chandra PS, Yadav R, Choudhary N, Sagar R, Bhore R, Pandey RM, Deepak KK. Cardiovascular autonomic functions in well-controlled and intractable partial epilepsies. Epilepsy Res. 2009 Aug;85(2-3):261-9. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2009.03.021. Epub 2009 May 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19409754 (View on PubMed)

Ferri R, Curzi-Dascalova L, Arzimanoglou A, Bourgeois M, Beaud C, Nunes ML, Elia M, Musumeci SA, Tripodi M. Heart rate variability during sleep in children with partial epilepsy. J Sleep Res. 2002 Jun;11(2):153-60. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2869.2002.00283.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12028480 (View on PubMed)

Yang TF, Wong TT, Chang KP, Kwan SY, Kuo WY, Lee YC, Kuo TB. Power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability in children with epilepsy. Childs Nerv Syst. 2001 Oct;17(10):602-6. doi: 10.1007/s003810100505.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11685522 (View on PubMed)

Chiron C, Marchand MC, Tran A, Rey E, d'Athis P, Vincent J, Dulac O, Pons G. Stiripentol in severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy: a randomised placebo-controlled syndrome-dedicated trial. STICLO study group. Lancet. 2000 Nov 11;356(9242):1638-42. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(00)03157-3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11089822 (View on PubMed)

Inoue Y, Ohtsuka Y, Oguni H, Tohyama J, Baba H, Fukushima K, Ohtani H, Takahashi Y, Ikeda S. Stiripentol open study in Japanese patients with Dravet syndrome. Epilepsia. 2009 Nov;50(11):2362-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2009.02179.x. Epub 2009 Jun 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19552653 (View on PubMed)

Motte J, Trevathan E, Arvidsson JF, Barrera MN, Mullens EL, Manasco P. Lamotrigine for generalized seizures associated with the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lamictal Lennox-Gastaut Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1997 Dec 18;337(25):1807-12. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199712183372504.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9400037 (View on PubMed)

Neels HM, Sierens AC, Naelaerts K, Scharpe SL, Hatfield GM, Lambert WE. Therapeutic drug monitoring of old and newer anti-epileptic drugs. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2004;42(11):1228-55. doi: 10.1515/CCLM.2004.245.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15576287 (View on PubMed)

Brogden RN, Heel RC, Speight TM, Avery GS. Clobazam: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic use in anxiety. Drugs. 1980 Sep;20(3):161-78. doi: 10.2165/00003495-198020030-00001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6107238 (View on PubMed)

Greenblatt DJ, Divoll M, Puri SK, Ho I, Zinny MA, Shader RI. Clobazam kinetics in the elderly. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1981 Nov;12(5):631-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01281.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6120710 (View on PubMed)

Giraud C, Tran A, Rey E, Vincent J, Treluyer JM, Pons G. In vitro characterization of clobazam metabolism by recombinant cytochrome P450 enzymes: importance of CYP2C19. Drug Metab Dispos. 2004 Nov;32(11):1279-86.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15483195 (View on PubMed)

Jawad S, Richens A, Oxley J. Single dose pharmacokinetic study of clobazam in normal volunteers and epileptic patients. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1984 Dec;18(6):873-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1984.tb02558.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6529527 (View on PubMed)

Giraud C, Treluyer JM, Rey E, Chiron C, Vincent J, Pons G, Tran A. In vitro and in vivo inhibitory effect of stiripentol on clobazam metabolism. Drug Metab Dispos. 2006 Apr;34(4):608-11. doi: 10.1124/dmd.105.007237. Epub 2006 Jan 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16415114 (View on PubMed)

Contin M, Riva R, Albani F, Baruzzi AA. Effect of felbamate on clobazam and its metabolite kinetics in patients with epilepsy. Ther Drug Monit. 1999 Dec;21(6):604-8. doi: 10.1097/00007691-199912000-00004.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10604819 (View on PubMed)

Backman JT, Olkkola KT, Aranko K, Himberg JJ, Neuvonen PJ. Dose of midazolam should be reduced during diltiazem and verapamil treatments. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1994 Mar;37(3):221-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1994.tb04266.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8198928 (View on PubMed)

Fleishaker JC, Sisson TA, Carel BJ, Azie NE. Pharmacokinetic interaction between verapamil and almotriptan in healthy volunteers. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2000 May;67(5):498-503. doi: 10.1067/mcp.2000.106292.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10824628 (View on PubMed)

Kantola T, Kivisto KT, Neuvonen PJ. Erythromycin and verapamil considerably increase serum simvastatin and simvastatin acid concentrations. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1998 Aug;64(2):177-82. doi: 10.1016/S0009-9236(98)90151-5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9728898 (View on PubMed)

Lamberg TS, Kivisto KT, Neuvonen PJ. Effects of verapamil and diltiazem on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of buspirone. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1998 Jun;63(6):640-5. doi: 10.1016/S0009-9236(98)90087-X.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9663178 (View on PubMed)

Renton KW. Inhibition of hepatic microsomal drug metabolism by the calcium channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil. Biochem Pharmacol. 1985 Jul 15;34(14):2549-53. doi: 10.1016/0006-2952(85)90541-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4015695 (View on PubMed)

Wang YH, Jones DR, Hall SD. Prediction of cytochrome P450 3A inhibition by verapamil enantiomers and their metabolites. Drug Metab Dispos. 2004 Feb;32(2):259-66. doi: 10.1124/dmd.32.2.259.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 14744949 (View on PubMed)

Edwards DJ, Lavoie R, Beckman H, Blevins R, Rubenfire M. The effect of coadministration of verapamil on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of quinidine. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1987 Jan;41(1):68-73. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1987.11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3802708 (View on PubMed)

Abernethy DR, Egan JM, Dickinson TH, Carrum G. Substrate-selective inhibition by verapamil and diltiazem: differential disposition of antipyrine and theophylline in humans. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1988 Mar;244(3):994-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3252045 (View on PubMed)

Sirmans SM, Pieper JA, Lalonde RL, Smith DG, Self TH. Effect of calcium channel blockers on theophylline disposition. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1988 Jul;44(1):29-34. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1988.108.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3391002 (View on PubMed)

Stringer KA, Mallet J, Clarke M, Lindenfeld JA. The effect of three different oral doses of verapamil on the disposition of theophylline. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1992;43(1):35-8. doi: 10.1007/BF02280751.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1505606 (View on PubMed)

Allen LV Jr, Erickson MA 3rd. Stability of labetalol hydrochloride, metoprolol tartrate, verapamil hydrochloride, and spironolactone with hydrochlorothiazide in extemporaneously compounded oral liquids. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 1996 Oct 1;53(19):2304-9. doi: 10.1093/ajhp/53.19.2304.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8893069 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

IND 113666

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

A Study to Prevent Infantile Spasms Relapse
NCT06819670 RECRUITING PHASE2
Tricaprilin Infantile Spasms Pilot Study
NCT04727970 COMPLETED PHASE1
A Novel Approach to Infantile Spasms
NCT03347526 SUSPENDED PHASE3