Lamotrigine drug data and news

Lamotrigine drug data, resources, and news articles (when available). Onconews.org provides news on cancer research. This section, which includes profiles on medicines that may or not be cancer-related is in beta form. If things run smoothly we will be releasing a new format late in the summer of 2006.

Generic name Lamotrigine
Brand Names/Synonyms BW 430C; CHEMBANK1734; Lamictal; Lamictal Cd; Lamotrigina [Spanish]; Lamotrigine; Lamotrigine [Usan:Ban:Inn]; Lamotriginum [Latin]
Indication For the adjunctive treatment of partial seizures in epilepsy and generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; For the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder
Sponsored links
Description Not Available
Pharmacology Lamotrigine, an antiepileptic drug (AED) of the phenyltriazine class, is chemically unrelated to existing antiepileptic drugs. Lamotrigine is also used in the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine is thought to exert its anticonvulsant effect by stabilizing presynaptic neuronal membranes. Lamotrigine inhibits sodium currents by selectively binding to the inactivated state of the sodium channel and subsequently suppresses the release of the excilatory amino acid, glutamate.
Mechanism Of Action One proposed mechanism of action of Lamotrigine, the relevance of which remains to be established in humans, involves an effect on sodium channels. in vitro pharmacological studies suggest that lamotrigine inhibits voltage-sensitive sodium channels, thereby stabilizing neuronal membranes and consequently modulating presynaptic transmitter release of excitatory amino acids (e.g., glutamate and aspartate).
Lamotrigine News
(When available)

Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A STEP-BD Equipoise ...  Feb 9, 2006
...options for treatment-resistant bipolar depression and assesses the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant augmentation with lamotrigine, inositol, and ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Sudden Akathisia After a Ziprasidone Dose Reduction  Mar 2, 2006
...regimen. Ms. B, who had been receiving 200 mg bid of lamotrigine when psychotic symptoms appeared, was also 27 years old. She did ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Next "Step" in Treating Bipolar Depression  Feb 14, 2006
...(p. 210) report that lamotrigine (mood stabilizer ... These findings, combined with lamotrigine’s recovery rate of 23.8%, make this a promising add-on treatment. ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

New Studies Help Patients With Treatment-Resistant Bipolar ...  Feb 1, 2006
Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A STEP-BD Equipoise Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Antidepressant Augmentation With Lamotrigine, Inositol, or ... - Medical News Today (press release),

New clues on bipolar causes, treatments  Feb 3, 2006
In a companion article authored by Andrew Nierenberg, scientists reported that lamotrigine, an anti-seizure medication, helps treat bipolar disorder for those ... - United Press International

Myocarditis During Clozapine Treatment  Feb 14, 2006
Quetiapine was titrated to 800 mg/day, and lamotrigine was gradually titrated to 37.5 mg/day to address Mr. A’s persistent depressive symptoms. ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Health Tip: Drugs to Avoid While Breast-Feeding  Feb 16, 2006
Trifluoperazine. Other drugs: Amiodarone, Chloramphenicol, Clofazimine, Lamotrigine, Metoclopramide, Metronidazole, Tinidazole. ... - Forbes

Predictors of Recurrence in Bipolar Disorder: Primary Outcomes ...  Feb 8, 2006
CL, Calabrese JR, Grunze H, Kasper S, White R, Greene P, Leadbetter R: A pooled analysis of 2 placebo-controlled 18-month trials of lamotrigine and lithium ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

2005 - the year of recovery for GSK  Feb 9, 2006
...and metformin) for diabetes grew 18% to £1.3 billion; turnover of the vaccines franchise jumped 15% to £1.4 billion; Lamictal (lamotrigine), for epilepsy ... - Pharma Times (subscription),

2005 - the year of recovery for GSK  09 Feb 2006
...and metformin) for diabetes grew 18% to £1.3 billion; turnover of the vaccines franchise jumped 15% to £1.4 billion; Lamictal (lamotrigine), for epilepsy ... - Pharma Times (subscription),

Tourette’s Symptoms Provoked by Lamotrigine in a Bipolar Patient  Jan 24, 2006
To the Editor: Lamotrigine is a modern anticonvulsant with established antiepileptic and mood-stabilizing properties. We present ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

New Studies Help Patients With Treatment-Resistant Bipolar ...  Feb 1, 2006
Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A STEP-BD Equipoise Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Antidepressant Augmentation With Lamotrigine, Inositol, or ... - Medical News Today (press release),

New clues on bipolar causes, treatments  Feb 3, 2006
In a companion article authored by Andrew Nierenberg, scientists reported that lamotrigine, an anti-seizure medication, helps treat bipolar disorder for those ... - United Press International

People Can Suffer from Bipolar Disorder for Years until It is ...  Jan 30, 2006
Chapter 4 Pharmacological Profile and Clinical Utility of Lamotrigine in Bipolar Disorders (David J. Muzina and Joseph R. Calabrese). ... - Genetic Engineering News,

Brief Reports: Patterns of Psychotropic Medication Use by Race ...  Jan 25, 2006
...and benzodiazepines. Specifically, other mood stabilizers included divalproex, valproate, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine. First-generation ... - Psychiatric Services (subscription)

Excerpts From Night Falls Fast  Jan 23, 2006
The ability of the anticonvulsant medications (valproate, carbamazepine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, and topirameate) to prevent suicide is unproven, however. ... - Saturday Evening Post,

Continuity of Antidepressant Treatment for Adults With Depression ...  Jan 24, 2006
Patients who reported use of mood stabilizer medications (lithium, carbamazepine, valproic acid, divalproex, gabapentin, and lamotrigine) during the study ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Adjunctive Lamotrigine Decreases Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic ...  Dec 9, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC -- December 9, 2005 -- Adjunctive lamotrigine effectively controls primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (PGTCS) and is well-tolerated in ... - DG News

Weight and Cholesterol Gains Greater with Valproate than with ...  Dec 8, 2005
Young epileptic women treated with valproate (VPA) gain more weight and have worse cholesterol levels than women treated with lamotrigine, (LTG), according to ... - DG News

59th Annual AES Meeting  Dec 2, 2005
Childhood Epilepsy (Poster #332) Epilepsy and the Elderly * An International Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Comparative Trial of Lamotrigine and Slow ... - PR Newswire (press release),

Lithium Placental Passage and Obstetrical Outcome: Implications ...  Nov 13, 2005
Early findings from a lamotrigine pregnancy registry are promising, compared to findings for other anticonvulsants (34), but additional cases and infant follow ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Secondary Mania in Older Adults  Nov 13, 2005
To our knowledge, the newer anticonvulsant agents topiramate and lamotrigine have not been studied in this particular patient population (59), and lamotrigine ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Consilient Health Ltd. Concludes Licensing/Supply Agreement With ...  Nov 22, 2005
Since July of this year, Consilient Health has introduced both lamotrigine and terbinafine, whose core patents expired earlier this year, in the United Kingdom ... - Market Wire (press release)

Interim Results Show Long-Acting Injectable Risperidone Comparable ...  Nov 14, 2005
...weeks. All subjects remained on their original treatment of lithium plus valproate or lamotrigine and one antidepressant. Safety ... - DG News

Cognitive Side Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs in Children  Oct 3, 2005
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) is also associated with little or no objective cognitive impairment (Martin et al., 1999; Meador et al., 2005, 2001). ... - Psychiatric Times,

Mood Swings  Oct 7, 2005
...firing oscillates with quiescence. Post: Would those agents include neurontin (gabapentin) and lamictal (lamotrigine)? Post: We have ... - Saturday Evening Post,

Antidepressants Should Be First Line Approach for Nerve Tissue ...  Sep 29, 2005
Anticonvulsant drugs currently used for neuropathic pain are: carbamazepine, gabapentin, clonazepam, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin ... - eMaxHealth.com,

Frovatriptan-Induced Hypomania  Sep 24, 2005
...outpatient private psychiatry clinic. He was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder and maintained on lamotrigine 150 mg/day. The patient was ... - Journal of Neuropsychiatry (subscription)

Many meds don't mix with the sun  Sep 21, 2005
Anticonvulsants: Carbamaze-pine (Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), topiramate (Topamax ... - Pioneer Press,

The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder – Medications for Mania  Sep 13, 2005
...too difficult to tolerate. Read More - Links & Information. Lamotrigine is a second-generation anticonvulsant. Its use is still experimental ... - bipolar.about.com

FDA-Approved Office Lithium Test Expected To Enhance Clinical Care  Aug 30, 2005
Lithium, long before lamotrigine (Lamictal), olanzapine (Zyprexa) and aripiprazole (Abilify), received the US Food and Drug Administration's approval for the ... - Psychiatric Times,

Dr. Gijsman and Colleagues Reply  Jul 29, 2005
We are currently piloting a trial from Oxford comparing any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with lamotrigine in bipolar depression. ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Lamictal cuts effectiveness of the pill  Jul 11, 2005
LONDON (Reuters Health) - Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline has issued a "Dear Doctor" letter advising that its anti-epilepsy drug Lamictal (lamotrigine) can reduce ... - Reuters

Teva reports mixed results  Jul 31, 2005
...that were not sold in the comparable quarter, including the recent successful launch of a few products such as Alendronate and Lamotrigine, higher Copaxone ... - Globes

Antidepressants for Bipolar Depression  Jul 29, 2005
...to the review) with the recommendation of the APA Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Disorder (1) to use lithium or lamotrigine as a ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Teva Reports Second Quarter 2005 Results  Aug 1, 2005
...that were not sold in the comparable quarter, including the recent successful launch of a few products such as Alendronate and Lamotrigine, higher Copaxone(R ... - PharmaLive.com (press release)

New Hope for Bipolar Disorder  Jul 28, 2005
As mentioned in the Sept./Oct. '03 "Medical Mailbox," research shows that lamotrigine (brand name Lamictal) is safe and effective in preventing mood swings in ... - Saturday Evening Post

Lamictal reduces efficacy of the Pill  Jul 14, 2005
Lamictal, also known as lamotrigine, was shown to diminish the efficiency of oral contraceptives in the interaction between the two drugs in the body. ... - myDNA.com

Antidepressants for Bipolar Depression  Jul 29, 2005
...are favorable with antidepressant treatment; thus, their conclusion to challenge the APA practice guideline for recommending lithium or lamotrigine as first ... - Am J Psychiatry (subscription)

Isidingo: What's up with Paul?  Jul 27, 2005
Drugs used to treat epilepsy, such as valproate (Epilim) and lamotrigine (Lamictin) are effective and can be prescribed if lithium is not tolerated well. ... - Health24.com

Consilient Health Enters the UK and Dutch Generics Market With a ...  Jul 26, 2005
...the recent launch of Ofloxacin in Denmark in May, Consilient Health has just entered the UK and the Dutch market by launching Lamotrigine to wholesalers today. ... - Market Wire (press release)

Antidepressants should be first-line approach for nerve tissue ...  Jul 23, 2005
Anticonvulsant drugs currently used for neuropathic pain are: carbamazepine, gabapentin, clonazepam, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin ... - I-Newswire.com (press release)

Wockhardt bottomline grows 72%  Jul 19, 2005
Wockhardt’s German subsidiary, Esparma had launched anti-epileptic lamotrigine on the first day following its patent expiry in the German market on June 1 ... - Calcutta Telegraph

Neuropathic Pain Market to Reach $3.5 Billion by 2014, Despite ...  Jul 11, 2005
...and oxcarbazepine (Novartis / Kissei); glutamate / NMDA antagonists memantine (Neurobiological Technologies / Merz) and lamotrigine (GlaxoSmithKline / Bristol ... - Yahoo News (press release)

Dosage Forms Tablet; Chewable
Drug_Category Antimanic Agents; Antidepressants; Anticonvulsants; Analgesics; Anticonvulsants; Calcium Channel Blockers; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; ATC:N03AX09
Absorption 98%
Interactions -->Interactions for Lamotrigine:
Effects of Lamotrigine on the Pharmacokinetics of Other Drugs:.

LAMICTAL Added to Carbamazepine: LAMICTAL has no appreciable effect on steady-state carbamazepine plasma concentration. Limited clinical data suggest there is a higher incidence of dizziness, diplopia, ataxia, and blurred vision in patients receiving carbamazepine with LAMICTAL than in patients receiving other EIAEDs with LAMICTAL. The mechanism of this interaction is unclear. The effect of lamotrigine on plasma concentrations of carbamazepine-epoxide is unclear. In a small subset of patients (n = 7) studied in a placebo-controlled trial, lamotrigine had no effect on carbamazepine-epoxide plasma concentrations, but in a small, uncontrolled study (n = 9), carbamazepine-epoxide levels were seen to increase.

LAMICTAL Added to Valproate: When LAMICTAL was administered to 18 healthy volunteers receiving valproate in a pharmacokinetic study, the trough steady-state valproate concentrations in plasma decreased by an average of 25% over a 3-week period, and then stabilized. However, adding LAMICTAL to the existing therapy did not cause a change in plasma valproate concentrations in either adult or pediatric patients in controlled clinical trials.

LAMICTAL Added to Lithium: The pharmacokinetics of lithium were not altered in healthy subjects (n = 20) by co-administration of 100 mg/day lamotrigine for 6 days.

LAMICTAL Added to Phenytoin: LAMICTAL has no appreciable effect on steady-state phenytoin plasma concentrations in patients with epilepsy.

Results of in vitro experiments suggest that lamotrigine does not reduce the clearance of drugs eliminated predominantly by CYP2D6.

Effects of Other Drugs on the Pharmacokinetics of Lamotrigine: .

Valproate Added to LAMICTAL: The addition of valproate increases lamotrigine steady-state concentrations in normal volunteers by slightly more than 2-fold.

Enzyme-Inducing Antiepileptic Drugs (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone) Added to LAMICTAL: The addition of EIAEDs decreases lamotrigine steady-state concentrations by approximately 40%.

Bupropion Added to LAMICTAL: The pharmacokinetics of a 100-mg single dose of lamotrigine in 12 healthy volunteers were not changed by co-administration of bupropion at 300 mg/day starting 11 days before the lamotrigine dose.

Other Psychotropic Drugs Added to LAMICTAL: Results of in vitro experiments suggest that clearance of lamotrigine is unlikely to be reduced by concomitant administration of amitriptyline, clonazepam, clozapine, fluoxetine, haloperidol, lorazepam, phenelzine, risperidone, sertraline, or trazodone.

Interactions With Folate Inhibitors: Lamotrigine is an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase. Prescribers should be aware of this action when prescribing other medications that inhibit folate metabolism.

Interactions With Oral Contraceptives: In women taking lamotrigine, there have been reports of decreased lamotrigine concentrations following introduction of oral contraceptives and reports of increased lamotrigine concentrations following withdrawal of oral contraceptives. Dosage adjustments may be necessary to maintain clinical response when starting or stopping oral contraceptives during lamotrigine therapy.

The net effects of drug interactions with LAMICTAL are summarized in Table 3.

Table 3. Summary of Drug Interactions With LAMICTAL

 

Drug

Drug Plasma Concentration With Adjunctive LAMICTAL*

Lamotrigine Plasma Concentration With Adjunctive Drugs

Phenytoin (PHT)

«

¯

Carbamazepine (CBZ)

«

¯

CBZ epoxide

?

 

Valproate

¯

­

Valproate + PHT and/or CBZ

Not assessed

«

Lithium

«

Not assessed

Bupropion

Not assessed

«

*From adjunctive clinical trials and volunteer studies.

Net effects were estimated by comparing the mean clearance values obtained in adjunctive clinical trials and volunteers studies.

Not administered, but an active metabolite of carbamazepine.

« = No significant effect.

? = Conflicting data.

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions: None known.

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility: No evidence of carcinogenicity was seen in 1 mouse study or 2 rat studies following oral administration of lamotrigine for up to 2 years at maximum tolerated doses (30 mg/kg per day for mice and 10 to 15 mg/kg per day for rats, doses that are equivalent to 90 mg/m2 and 60 to 90 mg/m2, respectively). Steady-state plasma concentrations ranged from 1 to 4 mcg/mL in the mouse study and 1 to 10 mcg/mL in the rat study. Plasma concentrations associated with the recommended human doses of 300 to 500 mg/day are generally in the range of 2 to 5 mcg/mL, but concentrations as high as 19 mcg/mL have been recorded.

Lamotrigine was not mutagenic in the presence or absence of metabolic activation when tested in 2 gene mutation assays (the Ames test and the in vitro mammalian mouse lymphoma assay). In 2 cytogenetic assays (the in vitro human lymphocyte assay and the in vivo rat bone marrow assay), lamotrigine did not increase the incidence of structural or numerical chromosomal abnormalities.

No evidence of impairment of fertility was detected in rats given oral doses of lamotrigine up to 2.4 times the highest usual human maintenance dose of 8.33 mg/kg per day or 0.4 times the human dose on a mg/m2 basis. The effect of lamotrigine on human fertility is unknown.

Pregnancy: Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category C. No evidence of teratogenicity was found in mice, rats, or rabbits when lamotrigine was orally administered to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis at doses up to 1.2, 0.5, and 1.1 times, respectively, on a mg/m2 basis, the highest usual human maintenance dose (i.e., 500 mg/day). However, maternal toxicity and secondary fetal toxicity producing reduced fetal weight and/or delayed ossification were seen in mice and rats, but not in rabbits at these doses. Teratology studies were also conducted using bolus intravenous administration of the isethionate salt of lamotrigine in rats and rabbits. In rat dams administered an intravenous dose at 0.6 times the highest usual human maintenance dose, the incidence of intrauterine death without signs of teratogenicity was increased.

A behavioral teratology study was conducted in rats dosed during the period of organogenesis. At day 21 postpartum, offspring of dams receiving 5 mg/kg per day or higher displayed a significantly longer latent period for open field exploration and a lower frequency of rearing. In a swimming maze test performed on days 39 to 44 postpartum, time to completion was increased in offspring of dams receiving 25 mg/kg per day. These doses represent 0.1 and 0.5 times the clinical dose on a mg/m2 basis, respectively.

Lamotrigine did not affect fertility, teratogenesis, or postnatal development when rats were dosed prior to and during mating, and throughout gestation and lactation at doses equivalent to 0.4 times the highest usual human maintenance dose on a mg/m2 basis.

When pregnant rats were orally dosed at 0.1, 0.14, or 0.3 times the highest human maintenance dose (on a mg/m2 basis) during the latter part of gestation (days 15 to 20), maternal toxicity and fetal death were seen. In dams, food consumption and weight gain were reduced, and the gestation period was slightly prolonged (22.6 vs. 22.0 days in the control group). Stillborn pups were found in all 3 drug-treated groups with the highest number in the high-dose group. Postnatal death was also seen, but only in the 2 highest doses, and occurred between day 1 and 20. Some of these deaths appear to be drug-related and not secondary to the maternal toxicity. A no-observed-effect level (NOEL) could not be determined for this study.

Although LAMICTAL was not found to be teratogenic in the above studies, lamotrigine decreases fetal folate concentrations in rats, an effect known to be associated with teratogenesis in animals and humans. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

Non-Teratogenic Effects: As with other antiepileptic drugs, physiological changes during pregnancy may affect lamotrigine concentrations and/or therapeutic effect. There have been reports of decreased lamotrigine concentrations during pregnancy and restoration of pre-partum concentrations after delivery. Dosage adjustments may be necessary to maintain clinical response.

Pregnancy Exposure Registry: To facilitate monitoring fetal outcomes of pregnant women exposed to lamotrigine, physicians are encouraged to register patients, before fetal outcome (e.g., ultrasound, results of amniocentesis, birth, etc.) is known, and can obtain information by calling the Lamotrigine Pregnancy Registry at (800) 336-2176 (toll-free). Patients can enroll themselves in the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry by calling (888) 233-2334 (toll-free).

Labor and Delivery: The effect of LAMICTAL on labor and delivery in humans is unknown.

Use in Nursing Mothers: Preliminary data indicate that lamotrigine passes into human milk. Because the effects on the infant exposed to LAMICTAL by this route are unknown, breast-feeding while taking LAMICTAL is not recommended.

Pediatric Use: LAMICTAL is indicated as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures in patients above 2 years of age and for the generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Safety and effectiveness for other uses in patients with epilepsy below the age of 16 years have not been established .

Safety and effectiveness in patients below the age of 18 years with Bipolar Disorder has not been established.

Geriatric Use: Clinical studies of LAMICTAL for epilepsy and in Bipolar Disorder did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.

Toxicity LD50=250 (mg/kg) (in rat, mice); LD50>640 orally (mg/kg) (in rat, mice) (Sawyer); Decreased level of consciousness, coma, delayed heartbeat, increased seizures, lack of coordination, rolling eyeballs
Organisms Affected Humans and other mammals
Chemical IUPAC Name 6-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazine-3,5-diamine
Chemical Formula C9H7Cl2N5
Molecular Weight 256.091 g/mol
Smiles String C1=CC(=C(C(=C1)Cl)Cl)C2=C(N=C(N=N2)N)N
Melting Point 216-218 oC (uncorr)
Water Solubility Not Available
State Solid
LogP/Hphobicity 1.497
Isoelectric Point Not Available
Biotransformation Hepatic
Half Life 25 +/- 10 hours (healthy individuals); 42.9 hours (chronic renal failure)
Protein Binding [%] 55%
RxList Link RXlist
Sponsored links
Drug Reference http://www.drugs.com/cons/Lamotrigine.html
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/lamotrigine.htm
Drug Type Approved Drug
Accession No APRD00570
CAS Registry Number 84057-84-1
KEGG Compound ID C07066
PubChem ID SID:7847420
PharmGKB ID PA450164
SwissProt ID Not Available
GenBank ID Not Available
Drug ID Number [DIN] 2248232

Home | About | Cancers | Treatment | Medications
Copyright onconews.org 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
Google
 
Web onconews.org