Posts by: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

July 17, 2017

MRI-Guided Laser Technique May Be Potential Surgery Treatment for Certain Epilepsy Patients, Review Says

News

A technique called MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MgLiTT) may be a potential treatment for epilepsy patients, according to a recent review. Researchers say that MgLiTT may be a particularly ... Read more

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017

ZX008 Receives FDA Orphan Drug Status for Treatment of Lennox Gastaut Syndrome

News

Zogenix’s ZX008 (low-dose fenfluramine) has been granted Orphan Drug designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a potential treatment for Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a severe childhood form of ... Read more

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017

Epilepsy Seizure Treatment Trobalt to Be Discontinued in June 2017

News

GlaxoSmithkline (GSK) announced that its epilepsy seizure drug Trobalt (retigabine) will no longer be commercially available after June 2017. The company has advised healthcare providers to seek alternative medicines for ... Read more

May 19, 2017May 19, 2017

Possible Link Between Type of Brain Cells and Absence Epilepsy Is Subject of Study

News

A grant from Epilepsy Research UK will allow researchers to study a specific type of brain cells in hopes of identifying a new therapeutic target to treat absence epilepsy, a form of the ... Read more

May 15, 2017May 15, 2017

Stem Cell Therapy Shows Potential in Treating Medication-resistant Epilepsy Patients

News

Stem cell therapy may be a safe and promising treatment option for epilepsy patients who are resistant to antiepileptic drugs, according to new research. The study, “Treatment of refractory epilepsy ... Read more

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017

Clinical Trial to Assess Vigabatrin for Preventing or Delaying Seizures in Children with Tuberous Sclerosis

News

Texas-led researchers are recruiting children for a Phase 2b clinical trial that will investigate whether vigabatrin can prevent or delay the onset of epileptic seizures in youngsters with tuberous sclerosis. ... Read more

May 5, 2017May 5, 2017

Anxiety, Depression More Prevalent Among Epileptics, Study Finds

News

Epileptics frequently suffer from anxiety and depression, but experts aren’t completely sure why, according to a recent study. The study, “Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in People with Epilepsy: A Meta-Analysis” ... Read more

May 3, 2017

Zogenix Completes Enrollment for Phase 3 Trial of ZX008 as Dravet Syndrome Therapy

News

Zogenix has completed patient enrollment for the Phase 3 Study 1 trial (NCT02826863) of ZX008 as an add-on therapy for seizures in children and young adults with Dravet syndrome. “The ... Read more

April 19, 2017April 19, 2017

GW’s Cannabinoid Therapy Epidiolex Shows Promise in Treating Children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

News

Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) who were treated with the cannabinoid product Epidiolex (cannabidiol) had fewer drop seizures, according to results of a clinical trial developed by Britain’s GW Pharmaceuticals. The Phase 3 ... Read more

April 12, 2017

Ganaxolone Inhibits Neural Processes in Brain Linked to Seizures, Trial Shows

News

Marinus Pharmaceuticals’ ganaxolone inhibited neural processes in the brain that, when unchecked, can trigger epileptic seizures, according to a Phase 1 clinical trial. The results suggest ganaxolone could become a ... Read more