title: BGG492 (selurampanel), an AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist drug for epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) antagonism is under development as a novel mechanism of action for antiepileptic drugs. Selurampanel (BGG492) is an experimental competitive AMPA antagonist currently in clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article provides a review of the roles of glutamate receptors, especially of the AMPA type, in normal and epileptic synaptic transmission. It also provides a discussion of the mechanisms of action of AMPAR antagonist compounds. The article includes a summary of the preclinical and clinical data on the efficacy and safety of BGG492 and provides a discussion of the future role of these compounds in clinical therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since many persons with epilepsy remain inadequately treated, compounds exploiting new mechanisms for seizure control are welcome. Based on available clinical trial data as adjunctive therapy, the AMPAR antagonists will likely be highly useful in a small subset of persons and moderately helpful in a larger subset, similar to other new drugs for epilepsy developed since 1993. It remains impossible to predict which patients will respond to which class of drugs.
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Neurology , 101 Woodruff Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322 , USA +1 404 778 3444 ; +1 404 778 4216 ; rfaught@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faught
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D052999:Quinazolinones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D052999:Quinazolinones; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; C000591013:selurampanel