Lacosamide and pregnancy: Data from spontaneous and solicited reports

• Published in: Epilepsia (Copenhagen) 2024-05, Vol.65 (5), p.1275-1284
• Main Authors: Perucca, Piero, Bourikas, Dimitrios, Voinescu, P. Emanuela, Vadlamudi, Lata, Chellun, Daya, Kumke, Thomas, Werhahn, Konrad J., Schmitz, Bettina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antiseizure medications; Congenital defects; congenital malformations; Epilepsy; Fetuses; Pharmacovigilance; Pregnancy; pregnancy outcomes; safety; Seizures; Teratogenicity
• ISSN: 0013-9580; 1528-1167
• DOI: 10.1111/epi.17924

Objective In pregnancy, it is important to balance the risks of uncontrolled epileptic seizures to the mother and fetus against the potential teratogenic effects of antiseizure medications. Data are limited on pregnancy outcomes among patients taking lacosamide (LCM), particularly when taken as monotherapy. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of LCM‐exposed pregnancies. Methods This analysis included all reports in the UCB Pharma pharmacovigilance database of exposure to LCM during pregnancy from spontaneous sources (routine clinical settings) or solicited reports from interventional clinical studies and noninterventional postmarketing studies. Prospective and retrospective reports were analyzed separately. Results At the data cutoff (August 31, 2021), there were 202 prospective pregnancy cases with maternal exposure to LCM and known outcomes. Among these cases, 44 (21.8%) patients received LCM monotherapy and 158 (78.2%) received LCM polytherapy. Most patients received LCM during the first trimester (LCM monotherapy: 39 [88.6%]; LCM polytherapy: 143 [90.5%]). From the prospective pregnancy cases with maternal LCM exposure, there were 204 reported outcomes (two twin pregnancies occurred in the polytherapy group). The proportion of live births was 84.1% (37/44) in patients who received LCM as monotherapy, and 76.3% (122/160) for LCM polytherapy. The overall proportion of abortions (for any reason) was 15.9% (7/44) with LCM monotherapy, and 22.5% (36/160) with LCM polytherapy. Congenital malformations were reported in 2.3% (1/44) of known pregnancy outcomes with maternal exposure to LCM monotherapy, and 6.9% (11/160) with polytherapy. Significance Our preliminary data do not raise major concerns on the use of LCM during pregnancy. Most pregnancies with LCM exposure resulted in healthy live births, and no new safety issues were identified. These findings should be interpreted with caution, as additional data are needed to fully evaluate the safety profile of LCM in pregnancy. This is a graphical representation of the and article highlights.