Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease
Marissa Dean, Victor W Sung Department of Neurology, Division of Movement Disorders, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Abstract: Deutetrabenazine was recently approved for the treatment of chorea in Huntington’s disease (HD) and is the first deuterated medication t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Drug Design, Development and Therapy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/review-of-deutetrabenazine-a-novel-treatment-for-chorea-associated-wit-peer-reviewed-article-DDDT |
| _version_ | 1811326795111202816 |
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| author | Dean M Sung VW |
| author_facet | Dean M Sung VW |
| author_sort | Dean M |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Marissa Dean, Victor W Sung Department of Neurology, Division of Movement Disorders, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Abstract: Deutetrabenazine was recently approved for the treatment of chorea in Huntington’s disease (HD) and is the first deuterated medication that has been US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for therapeutic use. In this article, we review deutetrabenazine’s drug design, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, efficacy, adverse events, comparison with tetrabenazine, dosage, and administration. Deutetrabenazine is a deuterated form of tetrabenazine and is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor. The substitution of deuterium for hydrogen at key positions in the tetrabenazine molecule allows a longer drug half-life and less frequent daily dosing. Deutetrabenazine is administered twice daily up to a maximum daily dose of 48 mg, which corresponds to a similar daily dose of 100 mg of tetrabenazine. In a Phase III clinical trial (First-HD), there was a statistically significant improvement of chorea in HD subjects, as well as improvements in global impression of change as assessed by both patients and clinicians. This improvement was seen without significant adverse effects as the overall tolerability profile of deutetrabenazine was similar to placebo. Somnolence was the most commonly reported symptom in the deutetrabenazine group. In a study where subjects converted from tetrabenazine to deutetrabenazine in an open-label fashion (ARC-HD) and indirect comparison studies between tetrabenazine and deutetrabenazine, there is a suggestion that while efficacy for chorea is similar, the data may slightly favor tetrabenazine, but adverse effects and tolerability strongly favor deutetrabenazine. These data have not been replicated in true head-to-head studies. Current evidence supports that deutetrabenazine is an effective therapeutic treatment option for chorea in HD and may provide a more favorable adverse effect profile than tetrabenazine. However, more data are needed, particularly in the form of head-to-head studies between deutetrabenazine and other treatment options as well as longer term clinical experience with deutetrabenazine. Keywords: deutetrabenazine, tetrabenazine, Huntington’s disease, chorea |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:55:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ead2bb07fb804294b13605dc69e2688f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1177-8881 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:55:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drug Design, Development and Therapy |
| spelling | doaj.art-ead2bb07fb804294b13605dc69e2688f2022-12-22T02:42:27ZengDove Medical PressDrug Design, Development and Therapy1177-88812018-02-01Volume 1231331936803Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's diseaseDean MSung VWMarissa Dean, Victor W Sung Department of Neurology, Division of Movement Disorders, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Abstract: Deutetrabenazine was recently approved for the treatment of chorea in Huntington’s disease (HD) and is the first deuterated medication that has been US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for therapeutic use. In this article, we review deutetrabenazine’s drug design, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, efficacy, adverse events, comparison with tetrabenazine, dosage, and administration. Deutetrabenazine is a deuterated form of tetrabenazine and is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor. The substitution of deuterium for hydrogen at key positions in the tetrabenazine molecule allows a longer drug half-life and less frequent daily dosing. Deutetrabenazine is administered twice daily up to a maximum daily dose of 48 mg, which corresponds to a similar daily dose of 100 mg of tetrabenazine. In a Phase III clinical trial (First-HD), there was a statistically significant improvement of chorea in HD subjects, as well as improvements in global impression of change as assessed by both patients and clinicians. This improvement was seen without significant adverse effects as the overall tolerability profile of deutetrabenazine was similar to placebo. Somnolence was the most commonly reported symptom in the deutetrabenazine group. In a study where subjects converted from tetrabenazine to deutetrabenazine in an open-label fashion (ARC-HD) and indirect comparison studies between tetrabenazine and deutetrabenazine, there is a suggestion that while efficacy for chorea is similar, the data may slightly favor tetrabenazine, but adverse effects and tolerability strongly favor deutetrabenazine. These data have not been replicated in true head-to-head studies. Current evidence supports that deutetrabenazine is an effective therapeutic treatment option for chorea in HD and may provide a more favorable adverse effect profile than tetrabenazine. However, more data are needed, particularly in the form of head-to-head studies between deutetrabenazine and other treatment options as well as longer term clinical experience with deutetrabenazine. Keywords: deutetrabenazine, tetrabenazine, Huntington’s disease, chorea https://www.dovepress.com/review-of-deutetrabenazine-a-novel-treatment-for-chorea-associated-wit-peer-reviewed-article-DDDTDeutetrabenazine Tetrabenazine Huntington’s Disease Chorea |
| spellingShingle | Dean M Sung VW Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease Drug Design, Development and Therapy Deutetrabenazine Tetrabenazine Huntington’s Disease Chorea |
| title | Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease |
| title_full | Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease |
| title_fullStr | Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease |
| title_short | Review of deutetrabenazine: a novel treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease |
| title_sort | review of deutetrabenazine a novel treatment for chorea associated with huntington 39 s disease |
| topic | Deutetrabenazine Tetrabenazine Huntington’s Disease Chorea |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/review-of-deutetrabenazine-a-novel-treatment-for-chorea-associated-wit-peer-reviewed-article-DDDT |
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