Dravet Syndrome

Dravet Syndrome is a rare and progressive form of intractable epilepsy that significantly impacts individuals throughout their lifetime. It is classified as a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), which is part of a group of severe epilepsies with frequent and difficult to treat seizures and significant developmental delays.

In Dravet Syndrome, seizures typically begin in infancy. Seizures are typically prolonged and are not well managed with current medications. In addition to seizures, Dravet Syndrome is also associated with challenging comorbidities including; developmental and behavioral delays, cognitive impairment, sleep difficulties and more. In a multinational survey of caregivers, for patients over five years of age, over 90% reported experiencing at least one comorbidity or impairment in addition to seizures.

Patients with Dravet Syndrome also face a higher rate of premature death. Up to 20% of children and adolescents living with Dravet Syndrome die before adulthood due to Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), prolonged seizures, seizure related accidents, and infections. Patients with Dravet Syndrome require constant care and as this condition persists into adulthood, it significantly affects the quality of life of patients and their families.