Carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid derivative essential for transport of long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria. It is advertised on the Internet as a dietary supplement that can promote weight loss, increase energy, enhance athletic performance and slow aging. Levocarnitine (Carnitor - Sigma-Tau) has been FDA approved for oral and parenteral treatment of primary carnitine deficiency since 1986. Products containing levocarnitine and its synthetic derivative acetyl-L-carnitine are available as dietary supplements in the US.

Oxcarbazepine, which is chemically similar to carbamazepine, and levetiracetam, a pyrrolidine acetamide chemically unrelated to other antiepileptic drugs, are the sixth and seventh drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the last five years for oral use in partial seizures.

The FDA has approved ezogabine (ee-ZOE-ga-been; Potiga – GSK/Valeant) for oral adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults. Ezogabine is available in Europe as retigabine (Trobalt).

View the Comparison Table: Some Drugs for Migraine Prevention in Adults

The FDA has approved cannabidiol oral solution (Epidiolex – Greenwich Biosciences) for treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in patients ≥2 years old. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid constituent of the marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa). It is the first natural marijuana product to be approved by the FDA for any indication and the first drug to be approved in the US for treatment of Dravet syndrome. Stiripentol (Diacomit), which is not a marijuana product, was also recently approved by the FDA for treatment of Dravet syndrome in...

The FDA has approved stiripentol (Diacomit – Biocodex) for treatment of seizures in patients ≥2 years old with Dravet syndrome who are also taking clobazam (Onfi). Stiripentol, which has been available in Europe, Canada, and Japan for many years, is the second drug to be approved in the US for this indication; cannabidiol oral solution (Epidiolex), a purified marijuana product, was the first.

The FDA has approved injection of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox – Allergan) for prevention of headaches in adult patients with chronic migraine (≥15 headache days/month for ≥3 months). It is the first drug approved for treatment of this indication. Botox is also FDA-approved for treatment of upper limb spasticity, axillary hyperhidrosis, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm and strabismus, and for cosmetic reduction of wrinkles.

Doripenem (Doribax - Ortho-McNeil Janssen), an intravenous (IV) carbapenem antibiotic with a spectrum of activity similar to that of imipenem and meropenem, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of complicated intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections. Use of doripenem for treatment of nosocomial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, is still under FDA review.

The FDA has approved an oral liquid formulation of glycerol phenylbutyrate (Ravicti – Hyperion) for chronic management of patients ≥2 years old with urea cycle disorders that cannot be adequately managed by a protein- restricted diet. Sodium phenylbutyrate (Buphenyl, and generics), another oral drug approved by the FDA for this indication, has a bitter taste. The new product, which contains no sodium, has little or no taste. Either drug must be used in addition to a protein-restricted diet and, if needed, dietary supplementation with amino acids and other nutrients.

The FDA has approved lacosamide (Vimpat - UCB Pharma) for oral or intravenous (IV) use as add-on therapy in adults with partial-onset seizures.