Diazepam Nasal Spray is Commercially Available for Seizure Treatment

Diazepam nasal spray (Valtoco; Neurelis, San Diego, CA) is now commercially available. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved diazepam nasal spray for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity in January 2020. 

"We understand the high unmet need for Valtoco and we are very pleased to be able to make this available for patients with seizure clusters less than 2 months after our FDA approval," Neurelis president and CEO Craig Chambliss said. "Our commitment to the epilepsy community drives every team member at Neurelis as we accomplish this goal."

In the US, there are over 3.4 million individuals with epilepsy, with approximately 200,000 individuals newly diagnosed each year. Despite the availability of chronic, daily oral medications to control epilepsy, a significant number of individuals continue to experience seizures. There are approximately 170,000 individuals with uncontrolled seizures. These individuals are at risk for episodes of seizure clusters or acute repetitive seizures, representing a significant unmet need in the epilepsy community. 

Chuck DeWildt, chief commercial officer at Neurelis, announced Maxor Specialty Pharmacy was selected as the national pharmacy provider and has already begun filling patient prescriptions. "Valtoco is the first commercial product for Neurelis and we are now rapidly building our commercial organization," DeWildt said. "Working with Maxor allows us to expedite the availability of Valtoco for patients, healthcare providers and care partners who need it in advance of Valtoco availability in retail pharmacies in the near future." He added that Maxor will be able to serve all individuals regardless of the type of insurance.
Michael Einodshofer, chief pharmacy officer of Maxor, commented, "We look forward to our relationship with Neurelis and helping epilepsy patients across the country quickly gain access to this important new treatment." 

Jacqueline A. French, MD, professor in the Department of Neurology at NYU Langone Health's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and chief medical & innovation officer for the Epilepsy Foundation, said, "Having a seizure cluster rescue treatment that is generally safe, reliable and ready-to-use is great news for our epilepsy community. Seizure rescue treatments such as this, combined with an up-to-date seizure rescue treatment plan, can help improve the quality of life for those experiencing seizure clusters."