Zogenix Inc. acquires Brabant Pharma and with it Brabafen for Dravet syndrome

Zogenix, Inc. a pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products for the treatment of pain-related and central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announced that it acquired Brabant Pharma , a privately-held U.K.-based pharmaceutical company for $20 million in cash and $15 million in stock plus potential future milestone and royalty payments. The acquisition includes worldwide development and commercialization rights to Brabafen, low-dose fenfluramine, for the treatment of Dravet syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of intractable epilepsy that begins in infancy. Brabafen has recently received orphan drug designation in Europe and the U.S. for the treatment of Dravet syndrome. Children with Dravet syndrome, also known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI), experience frequent, severe and potentially life-threatening seizures that typically start in the first year of life. These seizures do not respond to standard anti-epileptic medications and current treatment options are very limited. The latest results from an ongoing, long-term clinical study in 15 Dravet syndrome patients treated with Brabafen show that 93% of patients were either seizure-free or had greatly reduced seizure frequency, during an average treatment period of greater than 12 years. The results also demonstrate the safety of Brabafen, which was shown to be well tolerated and treatment side effects were mild and transient for the entire study treatment period.