Valeant Pharmaceuticals International said last week that a late-stage trial for retigabine, a potential epilepsy treatment, showed that the drug reduced seizure frequency.
The news sent Aliso Viejo-based Valeant’s stock up about 15% last week with a market value of $1.2 billion.
Retigabine is being developed as an additional treatment for adult epileptics whose seizures don’t respond to other drugs, a condition known as refractory epilepsy.
Refractory epilepsy is associated with memory loss, lower levels of school performance, depression and impaired psychosocial skills.
In a release, Valeant said data from the 306-patient study showed that those who took retigabine experienced a significant reduction in the frequency of certain kinds of seizures compared with a placebo.
The drug maker expects to file a new drug application for retigabine with the Food and Drug Administration and a marketing authorization application with European regulators before the end of 2008.
Valeant gained retigabine in 2005 through a $280 million buy of San Diego-based Xcel Pharmaceuticals Inc. Retigabine is one of the drugs that Valeant had been counting on in a bid to reverse slowing growth.
Earlier this month, Valeant brought on a new chief executive, J. Michael Pearson, to help lead a turnaround.
Wall Street analysts say the clinical trial results of retigabine and hepatitis C drug Viramidine are crucial for the company.
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Vita Reed
