Safety and efficacy of midazolam nasal spray in the outpatient treatment of patients with seizure clusters-a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Managing Acute Seizures: New Rescue Delivery Option and Resources to Assist School Nurses

Approximately 470,000 children and adolescents in the United States have epilepsy, 30% of whom experience seizures despite antiseizure drug regimens. School nurses, teachers, caregivers, and parents play integral roles in implementing a care plan that avoids triggers, recognizes signs, and provides supportive care—ideally, guided by a patient-specific seizure action plan, which may include the use of rescue medication. Benzodiazepines are the mainstay of seizure rescue medication; for decades, rectally administered diazepam was the only approved rescue medication for seizure clusters outside the hospital setting. However, rectal administration has limitations that could delay treatment (e.g., social acceptability, removal of clothing, positioning). More recently, intranasal midazolam (for patients ≥12 years) and intranasal diazepam (for patients ≥6 years) were approved for this indication. Training and education regarding newer forms of rescue medication should improve confidence in the ability to treat seizures in school with the goal of increasing the safety of students with epilepsy.

Evaluation of diazepam nasal spray in patients with epilepsy concomitantly using maintenance benzodiazepines: An interim subgroup analysis from a phase 3, long-term, open-label safety study

Objective

Diazepam nasal spray (Valtoco), indicated for acute treatment of frequent seizure activity (seizure clusters) in patients with epilepsy ≥6 years of age, is designed to be a rapid, noninvasive, socially acceptable route of administration. This interim analysis evaluated the safety profile of diazepam nasal spray in patients with and without concomitant use of benzodiazepines, with use of a second dose for a seizure cluster as a proxy for effectiveness.

Methods

A long‐term, phase 3, open‐label safety study enrolled patients with epilepsy who had seizures despite a stable antiseizure medication regimen.

Results

Among 175 patients enrolled by October 31, 2019, a total of 158 were treated with diazepam nasal spray (aged 6–65 years; 53.8% female). Of those, 119 (75.3%) received concomitant benzodiazepines (60, chronic; 59, intermittent); 39 (24.7%) did not. Use of a second dose was similar in patients using chronic concomitant benzodiazepines (second dose in 11.1% [144/1299]) and those with no concomitant benzodiazepines (second dose in 10.3% [41/398]). Treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred for 80.0% with chronic use of concomitant benzodiazepines and 61.5% without. Cardiorespiratory depression was not reported, and no serious TEAEs were treatment related. Study retention was high: 83.3% in the chronic benzodiazepine group and 76.9% in the no‐benzodiazepine group. Findings were similar in a sub‐analysis of patients who were (n = 44) or were not (n = 75) taking clobazam.

Significance

This analysis of patients from a long‐term study shows a similar safety profile of diazepam nasal spray in patients with and without concomitant benzodiazepines, and consistent with the established profile for diazepam. Use of a single dose of diazepam nasal spray and high study retention rates suggest the effectiveness of diazepam nasal spray in patients irrespective of chronic daily benzodiazepine use. Results were similar in the clobazam sub‐analysis. These results support the safety and effectiveness of diazepam nasal spray in patients with concomitant benzodiazepine use.

A critical evaluation of midazolam nasal spray for the treatment of patients with seizure clusters

Introduction: Patients with epilepsy may experience seizure clusters (SCs), which are considered a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. Besides seizures and seizure-related injuries, patients with SCs experience impaired quality of life and have a greater need for healthcare resources. Midazolam nasal spray (MDZ-NS) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of SCs in 2019, and was the first FDA-approved nasally administered formulation for treating SCs.Areas covered: This article provides a critical evaluation of MDZ-NS for the treatment of patients with SCs. It covers the chemistry, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of MDZ-NS, and safety, tolerability, and efficacy data from phase I and phase III trials. SC treatment guidelines in different countries and for alternative therapies are also discussed.Expert opinion: Midazolam is a well-established drug that is familiar to physicians. The newer MDZ-NS formulation offers the benefits of intranasal administration, which allows for outpatient treatment by caregivers and other non-healthcare professionals when an SC occurs, and may be particularly meaningful to patients with limited treatment options because other routes of administration are unsuitable. MDZ-NS is effective and patients are known to return to baseline alertness and psychomotor function within 240 minutes after administration.

Overcoming the challenges of developing an intranasal diazepam rescue therapy for the treatment of seizure clusters

Seizure clusters must be treated quickly and effectively to prevent progression to prolonged seizures and status epilepticus. Rescue therapy for seizure clusters has focused on the use of benzodiazepines. Although intravenous benzodiazepine administration is the primary route in hospitals and emergency departments, seizure clusters typically occur in out‐of‐hospital settings, where a more portable product that can be easily administered by nonmedical caregivers is needed. Thus, other methods of administration have been examined, including rectal, intranasal, intramuscular, and buccal routes. Following US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1997, rectal diazepam became the mainstay of out‐of‐hospital treatment for seizure clusters in the United States. However, social acceptability and consistent bioavailability present limitations. Intranasal formulations have potential advantages for rescue therapies, including ease of administration and faster onset of action. A midazolam nasal spray was approved by the FDA in 2019 for patients aged 12 years or older. In early 2020, the FDA approved a diazepam nasal spray for patients aged 6 years or older, which has a different formulation than the midazolam nasal product and enhances aspects of bioavailability. Benzodiazepines, including diazepam, present significant challenges in developing a suitable intranasal formulation. Diazepam nasal spray contains dodecyl maltoside (DDM) as an absorption enhancer and vitamin E to increase solubility in an easy‐to‐use portable device. In a Phase 1 study, absolute bioavailability of the diazepam nasal spray was 97% compared with intravenous diazepam. Subsequently, the nasal spray demonstrated less variability in bioavailability than rectal gel (percentage of geometric coefficient of variation of area under the curve = 42%–66% for diazepam nasal spray compared with 87%–172% for rectal gel). The diazepam nasal spray safety profile is consistent with that expected for rectal diazepam, with low rates of nasal discomfort (≤6%). To further improve the efficacy of rescue therapy, investigation of novel intranasal benzodiazepine formulations is underway.

Seizure Clusters: Morbidity and Mortality

Seizure clusters, an intermediate between single seizure and status epilepticus, are associated with morbidity, impaired quality of life, and premature mortality. The relationship between seizure clusters and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is poorly understood. Here, we define seizure clusters; review comorbid psychiatric disorders and memory deficits associated with seizure clusters; and review cases of witnessed SUDEP for which seizure frequency prior to death is available. Patients with a history of seizure clusters have a 2.5 fold increased risk for SUDEP, and one third of patients with monitored in hospital SUDEP experienced a cluster of generalized tonic clonic seizures prior to death. Understanding the effects of seizure frequency and duration on SUDEP risk could yield new insights in SUDEP pathophysiology and new targets for intervention.

Clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of midazolam nasal spray

The benzodiazepine midazolam (MDZ) is commonly used as first-line treatment in patients with acute seizures. This review summarizes the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of MDZ nasal spray (MDZ-NS), which can be administered by non-health care providers in the outpatient, ambulatory setting. Intranasal administration leads to rapid (t_max 9.0-21.5 min), consistent, and extensive absorption of MDZ, with fast distribution to the central nervous system (CNS), as demonstrated by the onset of sedation within 10 min after administration and the occurrence of peak psychomotor impairment at approximately 17-120 min after administration. Rapid plasma clearance of MDZ and its active metabolite 1-OH-MDZ (t_½ 3.6-8.1 h) results in a return to baseline alertness and psychomotor functionality by approximately 240 min post dose. The lack of first-pass metabolism reduces the potential for drug-drug interactions compared with oral dosing. Age (≥ 12 years), sex, race, body weight, body mass index, normal to moderately impaired renal function, and concomitant administration of cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A-inducing drugs are not considered important factors for MDZ-NS dosing. However, coadministration of MDZ-NS with moderate or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors should be avoided, and MDZ-NS should be used with caution when coadministered with mild CYP3A4 inhibitors, as these may result in prolonged MDZ effects owing to a decrease in plasma clearance. Taken together, the PK and PD properties of MDZ-NS, with a short t_max that translates into rapid CNS PD effects of sedation and psychomotor impairment, demonstrate rapid CNS penetration and onset of action, supporting its use for acute treatment of seizure clusters.

Initial treatment of seizures in children in an emergency department in rural Japan

OBJECTIVE

Although the initial treatment of childhood seizures is important, treatment within an appropriate time window is often difficult in resource-limited areas. This study examined childhood seizure treatment in a rural area in Japan.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated children presenting to Nakatsugawa Municipal General Hospital emergency department between 2015 and 2018. From the hospital database, we identified children who were diagnosed with seizures, epilepsy, or acute infectious encephalitis/encephalopathy or were given benzodiazepines. We considered etiology, seizure duration, and treatment according to the specialties of the doctors providing initial care.

RESULTS

We extracted 236 seizure events: 40 initially treated by pediatricians, 16 by a mobile doctor team, and 180 by other doctors. Twenty patients had continuous seizures for longer than 5 min on admission. Two were treated by pediatricians at presentation; it took 4 and 7 min after arrival to stop the seizures. Four were treated by a mobile team, and 14 by other doctors; the median response times were 11.5 (range 3-47) and 19 (range 5-60) min, respectively. All patients treated by pediatricians or mobile doctor teams received intravenous or intramuscular diazepam, whereas 50% of those treated by other doctors initially received diazepam suppositories. In three of the 20 events, establishing intravenous access was difficult.

SIGNIFICANCE

In rural Japan, many children with seizures are initially treated by doctors other than pediatricians or emergency physicians, and they require a longer time to achieve seizure cessation. Non-intravenous benzodiazepine formulas, which have not yet been approved in Japan, would be helpful.

A Short Review on the Intranasal Delivery of Diazepam for Treating Acute Repetitive Seizures

Benzodiazepines such as diazepam, lorazepam and midazolam remained the mainstay of treatment for acute repetitive seizures (ARS). The immediate care for ARS should often begin at home by a caregiver. This prevents the progression of ARS to prolonged seizures or status epilepticus. For a long time and despite social objections rectal diazepam gel remained only FDA-approved rescue medication. Intranasal administration of benzodiazepines is considered attractive and safe compared with rectal, buccal and sublingual routes. Intranasal delivery offers numerous advantages such as large absorptive surface area, bypass the first-pass metabolism and good patient acceptance as it is needle free and painless. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that diazepam nasal spray (NRL-1; Valtoco^®, Neurelis Inc.,San Diego, CA, USA) showed less pharmacokinetic variability and reliable bioavailability compared with the diazepam rectal gel. Diazepam nasal spray could be considered as a suitable alternative for treating seizure emergencies outside the hospital. This review summarizes the treatment options for ARS and findings from clinical studies involving intranasal diazepam for treating seizure emergencies.

The unmet need for rapid epileptic seizure termination (REST)

Approximately 40% of epilepsy patients will continue to experience breakthrough seizures despite stable antiepileptic drug regimens. Rescue treatments have demonstrated efficacy and safety for select seizure emergencies. Outpatient administered intranasal and rectally delivered medications are regulatory approved for acute repetitive seizures (ARS), and injectable benzodiazepines are indicated for parenteral treatment of established status epilepticus. Despite these advances, no studies have been shown to abort an ongoing seizure following patient or caregiver home administration of therapy at the first clinical sign of seizure onset. Such treatment would require rapid systemic absorption without intravenous access, and evidence of seizure cessation within minutes of administration that is superior to placebo (eg, seizure self-regulation). Rapid epileptic seizure termination (REST) treatment may apply to multiple seizure emergencies beyond ARS, including focal or generalized seizures preceded by an aura, flurries of absence or myoclonic seizures, or prolonged focal and generalized seizures at high risk of progression to status epilepticus. Novel investigational drug delivery systems have demonstrated feasibility of intraictal delivery and seizure cessation by two minutes. Ongoing randomized trials of REST treatment for diverse seizure emergencies hold the potential to decrease bouts of mental and physical incapacitation in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Status Epilepticus-Work-Up and Management in Children

Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurological emergencies in children and has a mortality of 2 to 4%. Admissions for SE are very resource-consuming, especially in refractory and super-refractory SE. An increasing understanding of the pathophysiology of SE leaves room for improving SE treatment protocols, including medication choice and timing. Selecting the most efficacious medications and giving them in a timely manner may improve outcomes. Benzodiazepines are commonly used as first line and they can be used in the prehospital setting, where most SE episodes begin. The diagnostic work-up should start simultaneously to initial treatment, or as soon as possible, to detect potentially treatable causes of SE. Although most etiologies are recognized after the first evaluation, the detection of more unusual causes may become challenging in selected cases. SE is a life-threatening medical emergency in which prompt and efficacious treatment may improve outcomes. We provide a summary of existing evidence to guide clinical decisions regarding the work-up and treatment of SE in pediatric patients.

Safety and efficacy of midazolam nasal spray for the treatment of intermittent bouts of increased seizure activity in the epilepsy monitoring unit: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Midazolam nasal spray (MDZ-NS) is indicated for acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (ie, seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) that are distinct from a patient's usual seizure pattern, in patients 12 years of age and older with epilepsy. This trial evaluated safety and efficacy of MDZ-NS in patients with epilepsy who were admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit for seizure characterization/presurgical evaluation.

METHODS

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (P261-301; NCT01999777), eligible patients with ≥2 seizures in the 6-hour window preceding trial medication administration for whom treatment was appropriate based on investigator's judgment were randomized (1:1) to MDZ-NS 5 mg or placebo. Efficacy outcomes were proportion of patients seizure-free for 6 hours after treatment and time to first seizure within 6 hours. Safety and tolerability outcomes included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients were randomized (MDZ-NS n = 31; placebo n = 31), received trial medication, and completed the trial. A higher proportion of patients on MDZ-NS than placebo were seizure-free for 6 hours following treatment (54.8% vs 38.7%); however, the 16.1% difference was not statistically significant (P = .1972). The Kaplan-Meier curve of time to first seizure showed separation of both groups in favor of MDZ-NS from ~1.5 hours post-dose and throughout the 6-hour Treatment phase. Median time to first seizure was not estimable for MDZ-NS (>50% of patients had no seizure) and 3.9 hours for placebo (P = .1388). TEAEs with MDZ-NS were generally comparable to those with placebo. There were no deaths, serious TEAEs, or discontinuations due to TEAEs.

SIGNIFICANCE

Although the observed treatment difference may be clinically meaningful, statistical significance was not demonstrated. Results suggest that MDZ-NS 5 mg may provide improvement over placebo, with efficacy maintained for ≥6 hours post-dose. MDZ-NS was well tolerated in this population.

Seizure clusters, rescue treatments, seizure action plans: Unmet needs and emerging formulations

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of the study was to provide an overview of the prevalence, risk factors, burden, and current and emerging pharmacologic treatments for seizure clusters in patients with epilepsy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Close to half of patients with active epilepsy experience seizure clusters, and the clinical, social, and financial burdens of seizure clusters are high. However, there is no widely accepted definition of seizure clusters; their prevalence is underappreciated, contingencies for addressing them (seizure action plans) are often lacking, and their effects are not well-studied. These issues have resulted in an insufficient number of investigations and approved medications for this condition. Novel formulations are in late-stage development to meet this unmet need.

Using quality improvement to implement the CNS/AAN quality measure on rescue medication for seizures

OBJECTIVE

A multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI) team was established to conduct analysis of data for prescribed seizure rescue medication doses from January 2013 to December 2015 to identify and improve inappropriately low dose prescriptions. The QI team identified areas of focus for improvement opportunities and developed the project objective based on the 2017 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and Child Neurology Society (CNS) quality measure.

METHODS

Within a freestanding children's hospital, the QI team developed key drivers and implemented interventions, such as the midazolam prefilled syringe program with use of standardized dosing, electronic chart tools, monthly pharmacy review of all underdosed prescriptions, and provider and nursing education. The team created an automated monthly report to monitor prescribed seizure rescue medication dosing compliance. The year 2015 was used as the preliminary data baseline period with an average noncompliance rate of 3.5%.

RESULTS

From January 2016 to December 2019, the team has decreased and sustained the noncompliance rate to an average of 0.38%. The data for the project included 12,975 seizure rescue medication prescribed by a neurology provider from January 2015 to December 2019. Compliance with properly dosed diazepam orders continues to be the largest area of opportunity. The data demonstrated a centerline shift in January 2019, moving the baseline average of 7.2% noncompliance to the current average rate of 0.22%. In comparison, underdosed midazolam orders occurred at an average rate of 0.037% in the same timeframe.

SIGNIFICANCE

Using quality improvement methodologies, the team successfully and substantially decreased provider prescribed and signed underdosed rescue medication orders by an average of 89%. This QI project demonstrates successful implementation and improvement addressing the AAN/CNS quality measure of proper rescue seizure treatment dosing.

The Nose Knows: Intranasal Midazolam To Treat Acute Seizures During Inpatient Epilepsy Monitoring

Efficacy, Tolerability, and Safety of Concentrated Intranasal Midazolam Spray as Emergency Medication in Epilepsy Patients During Video-EEG Monitoring

von Blomberg A, Kay L, Knake S, Fuest S, Zöllner JP, Reif PS, Herrmann E, Balaban Ü, Schubert-Bast S, Rosenow F, Strzelczyk A. CNS Drugs. 2020;34(5):545-553. doi: 10.1007/s40263-020-00720-w

Background:

An efficient, well tolerated, and safe emergency treatment with a rapid onset of action is needed to prevent seizure clusters and to terminate prolonged seizures and status epilepticus. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of intranasal midazolam (in-MDZ) spray in clinical practice.

Methods:

In this retrospective, multicenter observational study, we evaluated all patients with peri-ictal application of in-MDZ during video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring at the epilepsy centers in Frankfurt and Marburg between 2 014 and 2017. For every patient, we analyzed the recurrence of any seizure or generalized tonic-clonic seizures after index seizures with and without in-MDZ administration. Treatment-emergent adverse events were also evaluated.

Results:

Intranasal MDZ was used in 243 patients with epilepsy (mean age 35.5 years; range 5-76 years; 46.5% female) for treatment of 459 seizures. A median dose of in-MDZ 5 mg (ie, 2 puffs; range 2.5-15 mg) was administered within a median time from EEG seizure onset until in-MDZ application of 1.18 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 1.27), while median time from clinical seizure onset until in-MDZ administration was 1.08 minutes (IQR 1.19). Intranasal MDZ was given within 1 minute after EEG seizure onset in 171 seizures. An intraindividual comparison of seizures with and without application of in-MDZ was feasible in 171 patients, demonstrating that in-MDZ reduced the occurrence of any (Cox proportional-hazard model P < .001) and generalized tonic-clonic seizure (Cox proportional-hazard model P = .0167) over a period of 24 hours. The seizure-free time span was doubled from a median of 5.0 hours in controls to a median of 10.67 hours after in-MDZ administration. We additionally clustered in-MDZ administrations for the 119 patients who received in-MDZ more than once, comparing them with the index cases without in-MDZ. Even when considering subsequent seizures with in-MDZ administration, a patient receiving in-MDZ is still half as likely to incur another seizure in the upcoming 24 hours as compared with when the same patient does not receive in-MDZ (hazard ratio 0.50; 95% CI: 0.42-0.60; P < .01). Intranasal MDZ was well tolerated without major adverse events. The most common side effects were irritation of the nasal mucosa (37 cases [8.1%]), prolonged sedation (26 cases [5.7%]), and nausea and vomiting (12 cases [2.6%]). A decline in oxygen saturation was measured after 78 seizures (17%).

Conclusion:

We conclude that in-MDZ is a safe and efficient treatment option to prevent short-term recurrence of seizures. Intranasal MDZ can be administered very quickly by trained staff within 1 to 2 minutes after seizure onset. No major cardiocirculatory or respiratory adverse events were observed.

Intramuscular Midazolam for treatment of Status Epilepticus

INTRODUCTION

Status epilepticus (SE) is a common neurological and medical emergency. It has high mortality and morbidity rates, which typically correlate with seizure semiology and duration; therefore, prompt and proper pharmacological intervention is paramount. In a pre-hospital setting, establishing venous access can be difficult, so other routes of drug administration should be considered.

AREAS COVERED

The paper summarizes the data from the literature and provides an evaluation of the efficacy and safety of intramuscular midazolam (IM MDZ) as it pertains to the management of acute seizures and SE.

EXPERT OPINION

The cascade of events involved in the genesis and sustenance of seizures, if not promptly stopped, lead to the perpetuation of the condition and may contribute to the refractoriness of pharmacological treatment. Hence, non-venous routes for drug administration were developed to allow untrained personnel to rapidly stop seizures. Among benzodiazepines (BDZs), IM MDZ is at least as effective and safe as other intravenously administered BDZs. Moreover, thanks to IM MDZ's favorable pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile, it is a promising alternative to other non-venous drugs such as intranasal-MDZ, buccal-MDZ, and rectal-diazepam in the pre-hospital management of SE cases with motor features.

Dravet Syndrome: A Review of Current Management

Dravet syndrome is a debilitating epileptic encephalopathy of childhood with few treatment options available in the United States before 2018. In the modern era, new genetic testing options will allow diagnosis closer to disease onset. Three new medicines-stiripentol, cannabidiol, and fenfluramine-have documented efficacy and safety as adjunctive therapies for treating pharmacoresistant Dravet syndrome. Early diagnosis resulting in earlier treatment with these and other medications may improve prognosis of long-term outcomes, including less severity of cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments. New rescue medication formulations can now manage acute seizures and help prevent status epilepticus via intranasal, buccal, and intramuscular routes as opposed to rectal administration. Preventing status epilepticus and generalized tonic-clonic seizures could potentially lower the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. With this changing landscape in diagnostic and treatment options comes questions and controversies for the practicing clinician, especially as diagnostic techniques outpace clinical treatment strategies. Critical decision points include when to start treatment, what pharmacotherapy combinations to try first, which rescue medication to recommend, and how to advise parents on controversial topics (e.g., immunizations). Given that most patients require polypharmacy, clinicians must be cognizant of drug-drug interactions between new medicines, existing anti-epileptic drugs, and other medications to manage comorbidities and must have an understanding of available therapeutic drug monitoring strategies and pharmacokinetic parameters. This review places new diagnostic, treatment and acute care options into the modern era and provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the pediatric epileptologist in this rapidly changing landscape.

Efficacy, Tolerability, and Safety of Concentrated Intranasal Midazolam Spray as Emergency Medication in Epilepsy Patients During Video-EEG Monitoring

BACKGROUND

An efficient, well tolerated, and safe emergency treatment with a rapid onset of action is needed to prevent seizure clusters and to terminate prolonged seizures and status epilepticus.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of intranasal midazolam (in-MDZ) spray in clinical practice.

METHODS

In this retrospective, multicenter observational study, we evaluated all patients with peri-ictal application of in-MDZ during video-EEG monitoring at the epilepsy centers in Frankfurt and Marburg between 2 014 and 2017. For every patient, we analyzed the recurrence of any seizure or generalized tonic-clonic seizures after index seizures with and without in-MDZ administration. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were also evaluated.

RESULTS

In-MDZ was used in 243 patients with epilepsy (mean age 35.5 years; range 5-76 years; 46.5% female) for treatment of 459 seizures. A median dose of in-MDZ 5 mg (i.e., two puffs; range 2.5-15 mg) was administered within a median time from EEG seizure onset until in-MDZ application of 1.18 min [interquartile range (IQR) 1.27], while median time from clinical seizure onset until in-MDZ administration was 1.08 min (IQR 1.19). In-MDZ was given within 1 min after EEG seizure onset in 171 seizures. An intraindividual comparison of seizures with and without application of in-MDZ was feasible in 171 patients, demonstrating that in-MDZ reduced the occurrence of any (Cox proportional-hazard model p < 0.001) and generalized tonic-clonic seizure (Cox proportional-hazard model p = 0.0167) over a period of 24 h. The seizure-free timespan was doubled from a median of 5.0 h in controls to a median of 10.67 h after in-MDZ administration. We additionally clustered in-MDZ administrations for the 119 patients who received in-MDZ more than once, comparing them with the index cases without in-MDZ. Even when considering subsequent seizures with in-MDZ administration, a patient receiving in-MDZ is still half as likely to incur another seizure in the upcoming 24 h as compared with when the same patient does not receive in-MDZ (hazard ratio 0.50; 95% CI 0.42-0.60; p < 0.01). In-MDZ was well tolerated without major adverse events. The most common side effects were irritation of the nasal mucosa [37 cases (8.1%)], prolonged sedation [26 cases (5.7%)], and nausea and vomiting [12 cases (2.6%)]. A decline in oxygen saturation was measured after 78 seizures (17%).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that in-MDZ is a safe and efficient treatment option to prevent short-term recurrence of seizures. In-MDZ can be administered very quickly by trained staff within 1-2 min after seizure onset. No major cardiocirculatory or respiratory adverse events were observed.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of VALTOCO (NRL-1; diazepam nasal spray) in patients with epilepsy during seizure (ictal/peri-ictal) and nonseizure (interictal) conditions: A phase 1, open-label study

Objective

To assess pharmacokinetics and safety of diazepam nasal spray (NRL‐1; VALTOCO®) in pediatric and adult patients with epilepsy in seizure and nonseizure states.

Methods

A single dose of diazepam nasal spray (5, 10, 15, or 20 mg based on weight) was administered during each of two conditions (ictal/peri‐ictal and interictal condition) to patients 6‐65 years old with partial or generalized epilepsy with motor seizures or seizures with clear alteration of awareness; a second dose was permitted if needed for persistent seizures. Dosing could be interictal or ictal/peri‐ictal first, with a washout of ≥14 days. Blood samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were taken at prespecified time points. Treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs), sedation, nasal irritation, nasal mucosal pain, and olfactory changes were assessed.

Results

Of 57 patients in the study (mean age = 28.1 years [range = 6‐59], 54.4% female, 80.7% white), 49 were included in the primary pharmacokinetic analyses. Diazepam pharmacokinetic profiles were similar under both conditions, with approximately 2‐hour median time to mean (SD) maximum plasma concentrations of 164 (88) and 189 (110) ng/mL for ictal/peri‐ictal and interictal conditions, respectively; drug exposure during the first 6 hours postdosing was 532 (313) and 615 (368) h•ng/mL, respectively. Seventeen patients (29.8%) reported TEAEs, of whom eight (14%) had treatment‐related TEAEs, with those reported in ≥2 patients being dysgeusia (n = 3, 5.3%) and nasal discomfort (n = 2, 3.5%). One patient had serious TEAEs (recurrent seizures, metabolic encephalopathy), which were deemed unrelated to study treatment. No changes in respiratory rate were observed, nor were there clinically relevant changes in sedation, olfaction, nasal irritation, or acute nasal mucosal pain.

Significance

The epileptic conditions (ictal/peri‐ictal, interictal) had minimal impact on diazepam nasal spray pharmacokinetics in patients with epilepsy. Therefore, diazepam nasal spray can be administered ictally and interictally. Diazepam nasal spray safety was consistent with the profile of diazepam.

Evaluation of Pharmacokinetics and Dose Proportionality of Diazepam After Intranasal Administration of NRL-1 to Healthy Volunteers

NRL‐1 is a novel intranasal formulation of diazepam that is being evaluated as rescue medication in patients with epilepsy who experience bouts of increased seizure activity despite stable regimens of antiepileptic drugs. This phase 1, open‐label, randomized, crossover study in healthy adult volunteers consisted of 3 single‐dose periods (5, 10, and 20 mg) followed by a 2‐dose period (2 × 10 mg) with a minimum 28‐day washout between treatments. Blood samples were taken at prespecified time points after intranasal dosing, and bioanalytic analysis of diazepam and nordiazepam was conducted using a validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method. Plasma pharmacokinetic parameters were summarized using descriptive statistics, and dose proportionality (peak concentration [C_max] and area under the plasma concentration–time curve [AUC_0‐∞]) was evaluated based on a power model within a 90%CI of 0.84 to 1.16. Comparisons were also conducted between single 10‐mg dose and multidose (2 × 10 mg) treatments. NRL‐1 administration resulted in rapid diazepam absorption (median time to peak concentration 1.4‐1.5 hours). Plasma concentration‐time profiles showed similar patterns of exposure that appeared to be dose dependent, with C_max of 85.6, 133.6, and 235.3 ng/mL for the 5‐, 10‐, and 20‐mg doses, respectively, although the lower 90%CI for C_max and AUC_0‐∞ exceeded dose proportionality criteria. The coefficient of variation ranged from 59% to 67% for C_max and 48% to 56% for AUC parameters. Dose‐normalized AUC_0–∞ values were comparable between the 2 × 10‐mg and single 10‐mg doses. Treatment‐emergent adverse events were consistent with those expected for diazepam, with transient somnolence the most frequent adverse event (94.4%). These results support NRL‐1 as a potential therapy for managing seizure emergencies.

Safety and efficacy of midazolam nasal spray in the outpatient treatment of patients with seizure clusters: An open-label extension trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate safety- and seizure-related outcomes with repeated intermittent use of a novel formulation of midazolam administered as a single-dose nasal spray (MDZ-NS) in the outpatient treatment of patients experiencing seizure clusters (SCs).

METHODS

In this open-label extension trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01529034), patients aged ≥12 years and on a stable regimen of antiepileptic drugs who completed the original phase III, randomized controlled trial were enrolled. Caregivers administered MDZ-NS 5 mg when patients experienced SCs; a second dose could be given if seizures did not terminate within 10 minutes or recurred within 10 minutes-6 hours. Patients were monitored for treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) throughout, and the main seizure-related outcome was treatment success, defined as seizure termination within 10 minutes and no recurrence 10 minutes-6 hours after drug administration.

RESULTS

Of 175 patients enrolled, 161 (92.0%) received ≥1 MDZ-NS dose, for a total of 1998 SC episodes. Median time spent by patients in the trial was 16.8 months (range = 1-55.7 months). TEAEs were experienced by 40.4% of patients within 2 days of drug administration and 57.1% overall. TEAEs reported by most patients (within 2 days and overall) were nasal discomfort (12.4%) and somnolence (9.3%). One patient each discontinued due to treatment-related nasal discomfort and somnolence. There were no patients with treatment-related respiratory depression, and none with TEAEs indicative of drug abuse or dependence. Treatment success criteria were met in 55% (1108/1998) of SC episodes after administration of a single 5-mg dose and in 80.2% (617/769) with the second dose. Treatment success was consistent over treated episode number.

SIGNIFICANCE

Repeated, intermittent, acute treatment of patients experiencing SCs with MDZ-NS in the outpatient setting was well tolerated over an extended period, with maintenance of efficacy suggesting lack of development of tolerance.