Padsevonil (, , ; developmental code name UCB-0942) is a

synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is a transmembrane protein belonging to a family of keratan sulfate proteoglycans, located on the synaptic vesicles of mammalian neuronal and endocrine cells. It's encoded by the ''SV2A'' gene. SV2A is the ...

(SV2A)

ligand In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule with a functional group that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's el ...

which is under development for the treatment of

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...

. It is much more potent than earlier SV2A ligands like

levetiracetam Levetiracetam, sold under the brand name Keppra among others, is a novel antiepileptic drug. (medication) used to treat epilepsy. It is used for Focal seizure, partial-onset, Myoclonic epilepsy, myoclonic, or tonic–clonic seizures, and is ta ...

and

brivaracetam Brivaracetam, sold under the brand name Briviact among others, is a chemical analog of levetiracetam, a racetam derivative with anticonvulsant (antiepileptic) properties. It has been approved since 2016. It is marketed by the pharmaceutical co ...

. However, in contrast to its predecessors, padsevonil's

chemical structure A chemical structure of a molecule is a spatial arrangement of its atoms and their chemical bonds. Its determination includes a chemist's specifying the molecular geometry and, when feasible and necessary, the electronic structure of the target m ...

has been modified such that it is no longer a

racetam Racetams, also sometimes known simply as pyrrolidones, are a class of drugs that share a pyrrolidone nucleus. Many, but not all, specifically have a 2- oxo-1- pyrrolidine acetamide (piracetam) nucleus. Some racetams, such as piracetam, aniracet ...

. In addition, padsevonil also interacts with synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2B (SV2B) and 2C (SV2C). The drug is being developed by UCB. As of November 2023, it is in

phase 2 Michael Lawrence Marrow (August 2, 1955 – December 12, 2019), known as PHASE 2 and Lonny Wood, was an American aerosol paint artist based in New York City. Mostly active in the 1970s, Phase 2 is generally credited with originating the "bubble ...

clinical trial Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human subject research, human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel v ...

References

Anticonvulsants Chloroarenes Experimental drugs Fluoroarenes Ketones Pyrrolidines Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein ligands Trifluoromethyl compounds Imidazothiadiazoles Methoxy compounds {{Anticonvulsant-stub