Key Highlights:
- Alkem Laboratories has launched NeuCeno (cenobamate), marking the first launch of cenobamate in India for adults with partial-onset seizures. The once-daily oral therapy is available in six strengths from 12.5 mg to 200 mg.
- Cenobamate uses a dual mechanism, selectively inhibiting persistent sodium currents while enhancing GABA-A receptor activity. In clinical studies, adjunctive treatment reduced seizure frequency by up to 78%, with up to 30% of patients achieving seizure freedom during maintenance.
- With an estimated 9.4 million people living with epilepsy in India, NeuCeno expands treatment options for patients whose seizures remain uncontrolled despite existing anti-seizure medications, potentially addressing an important unmet need in epilepsy care.
Implications:
Alkem’s launch of NeuCeno (cenobamate) introduces India’s first cenobamate-based anti‑seizure medication for adults with partial‑onset seizures, adding a high‑value, once‑daily option for the ~9.4 million people living with epilepsy
NeuCeno strengthens Alkem’s neurology portfolio and supports its shift toward higher‑margin chronic formulations, while giving neurologists a new dual‑mechanism drug (persistent sodium current inhibition plus GABA‑A positive modulation) to address drug‑resistant focal seizures.
