CBD Leads to Nonseizure Improvements, AbbVie Launches 24-Hour Levodopa Infusion in EU, CNM-Au8 Improves Visual Function and Cognition

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Welcome to this special edition of Neurology News Network. I’m Marco Meglio.

In a survey study of patients with either Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, findings showed that treatment with add-on cannabidiol (CBD; Epidiolex) led to improvements in nonseizure outcomes, regardless of reduction in seizure frequency. Despite the limitations associated with a retrospective survey-based study design, investigators concluded that further evaluation of CBD on nonseizure outcomes in these patient populations is warranted. On nonseizure domains of alertness, cognition, and executive function, 85% of respondents reported improvements in at least 1 survey question. This continued across several other nonseizure-related domains of emotional functioning (82%), language and communication (79% in nonverbal patients and 74% in verbal), and activities of daily living (51%).

More than a year after it received approval by the European Commission, AbbVie has announced the European market launch of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa (Produodopa), the first and only 24-hour infusion of levodopa-based therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD). Prior to the launch, the therapy had received authorization through the Decentralized Procedure in the third quarter of 2022, followed by a CE mark in November of 2023. Also referred to as ABBV-951, this formulation of levodopa and carbidopa prodrugs are delivered as a 24-h/day continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) via an infusion set connected to a portable pump.

Newly announced data from the long-term extension (LTE) phase of the pivotal VISIONARY-MS trial showed that treatment with investigational CNM-Au8 resulted in improved progressive vision and cognition in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Full results of the LTE will be presented at the upcoming ninth annual ACTRIMS Forum. After completing the double-blind, placebo-controlled portion of the study, 55 of 69 eligible participants continued on 30 mg of CNM-Au8 for up to an additional 96 weeks. After 144 total weeks of treatment, investigators observed a least-square mean improvement of 8.70 letters on low contrast visual acuity (LCLA) change across both eyes. Cognition, assessed through the symbol digit modality test, showed least-square mean changes of +8.03 vs the original randomization baseline.

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